The Legend of Spyro: Daybreak
by Sight Pirate
Summary: The Dawn of the Dragon is over, now the day has broken. What will the sunlight reveal in this new world, and what will become of Spyro and Cynder?
1. Awakening

Hello, all!

Before I post my first story, I just want to make a few things clear.

-This story is rated M simply because I plan on taking it in an M-rated direction. These themes will probably not occur for a while, as I like to have a nice, long story progression.

-I have an odd writing style. I can only hope that you can get past my strange sentence structure and vocabulary and see the underlying themes in the story. Chapter length should generally be short, but that also allows for frequent updates.

-I want to help resolve the conflict between Scarlett-Husky and TheLastGreatRocker15. I will concede that TLGR15's writings are...odd, to say the least, but I feel that you two can co-exist in this community without stealing plots and/or flaming each other. Please, you guys, I've just joined this community, and I don't want to see it divide and fall.

-I'm open to any criticism. Please, help me become a better author!

Thanks,

Logician Magician.

* * *

Day broke. The first traces of morning sunlight slipped in through the small window, illuminating the foot of the old, wooden bed. Slowly, more warm rays of light crept up the bed, illuminating scales. The scales of a dragon. The scales of the legendary purple dragon, which only appeared once every ten generations, and was destined to leave its mark on the world for ages to come. The scales of Spyro, the legendary purple dragon, who had defeated Malefor and halted the destruction of the world. Yes, those scales.

The light revealed that Spyro was sleeping, sprawled out on the bed in a deep slumber, which he had been in for the past few days. He was more tired than he had ever been in his entire life. He had expended nearly the last of his power in his final battle against Malefor, the Dark Master. If that wasn't enough to completely drain him, he also had to hold the entire world together from the inside, saving its inhabitants from their near-certain doom. Finally, he had to fly his way to the surface of the world he had saved, traveling through the mouth of the erupting Mountain of Malefor. He had collapsed outside the gates of what was left of the Dragon City, where the three remaining Dragon Guardians carried his unconscious form to a lodge where he could rest after saving the world.

However, on the other side of the lodge, another dragon slept also. Her scales, however, were black. These were the scales of Cynder, the black dragoness who was once Malefor's most loyal servant. However, during Spyro's final battle against her, he had freed her from the Dark Master's influence, and she soon became his ally. She was with Spyro as he pulled the world together, and fought along side him in their last battle on their enemy, and her former master. Spyro had carried her unconscious body to the gates of the Dragon City, as she too has lost nearly all of her strength in that last battle.

Back in Spyro's room, an eye slowly opened, followed by another. He was awake. He could see the sun shining over the remnants of the Mountain of Malefor, and over the towers and ruins of Warfang, the Dragon City. If he had enough energy to gasp, he would have. He was shocked to still be alive. He scarcely remembered flying out of the center of the earth; it was as if the spirits of the Ancestors had carried him. He envisioned what he thought were to be the final seconds of his life, the entire scene replaying in his mind. It seemed impossible that he would live through all of that! Truly, he must have been destined to live.

But, as he replayed the scene, he recalled something else. Moments before he had pulled the fragments of the earth together, three words had escaped Cynder's lips. "I love you." These words filled his head. All he could hear were those three, final words, "I love you." "I love you." "I love you."

Love? It had seemed his destiny was simply to defeat Malefor and save the Dragon Realms. Never, once, had love entered his mind. He had never had the time for love. He had never been taught about love, only to fight. This, perhaps, was why he assumed his destiny was simply to fight and die. But now, with nothing left to fight, perhaps love was his destiny. Perhaps this was his new fate, his newest challenge, one unlike any other he had faced before.

But, he wondered, what is love? What is the point of it? The result? The significance? He had never been taught any of these things! What would he possibly know about love? What could he offer Cynder? The thought of Cynder entered his mind once more. Did he love her too? Well, he had certainly felt something for her which he had never felt for anyone or anything else. It seemed as though she treated him as an equal, not as some creature of legend. She seemed to ignore the fact that he was different, that he was significant, and liked him for who he was. Perhaps that was love.

In that case, he thought, I must love Cynder too. He seemed to be one of the only ones who ignored her evil past, and forgave her for the deeds she had committed under the influence of the Dark Master. He cared for her, chasing after her when she ran from the Dragon Temple, and always worrying about her well-being. He treated her as an equal, and as a friend. Was that what love meant?

Yes. Yes, that must be love. He did love her. Did she know that he did? He had never told her, but surely she must have seen how much he cared! But what if she didn't?

"Well," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse. "I must go tell Cynder." He struggled to move his legs to get out of bed, but it felt as though a great weight was pressing down on every inch of his body. He couldn't move at all. Disappointed, he closed his eyes, whispering, "I have to go tell her I love her…"

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Short, yes, but it puts me at a place where I can take the story where I want to. Expect updates every two or three days, at least for the rest of the summer. Thanks for reading!


	2. Shame

Back in Cynder's quarters, the black dragoness was slowly awakening as well. The brightness of the sun's rays made her squint as her eyes opened. Upon seeing the bright light, she gasped.

"Did…did I die?" she mumbled to herself. As her eyes adjusted to being open, the room she was in was slowly revealed to her, confirming that she was still alive. She hadn't expected to survive her final battle with her former master, Malefor. Nonetheless, both herself and Spyro had defeated him.

Spyro. The name, the image of the purple dragon echoed throughout her mind. He was the purple dragon of legend, and a handsome dragon at any rate. He had released her from servitude and saved her life countless times. It was because of these reasons that she stuck with him through seemingly-certain doom as he pulled the world together from its core. She would rather die with him than live alone in the world he had saved. She loved him.

Then, she recalled what she had assumed were to be her final minutes. Her last words to Spyro had been, "I love you." She had wanted him to know this before their lives ended. But now, they were alive. Did he even hear her express her true feelings? Did he even care? Did he feel the same way? Well, she thought, he must, or else why would he risk his life to save hers on so many occasions? Still, the thought of her love going unreciprocated gave her a worrisome feeling.

It had seemed that, before Spyro, she could never love or be loved. From the moment her egg hatched in the Ape King's lair to the moment Spyro had rid her form of Malefor's influence, she had been a creature of hate, of rage and misery. Her only purpose was to destroy anything that got in the way of bringing back the Dark Master from his imprisonment. But, after Spyro had freed her, she began to experience emotions which were totally new to her. Happiness, joy, and, perhaps most interesting to her, love. It seemed that the only one to stir these emotions inside her was the one who allowed her to experience them at all. She was crazy for him.

When she comforted Spyro after Ignitus' death crossing the Ring of Fire, the contact between them made her heart soar. She craved contact with him; feeling his breath on her neck, his muscles moving beneath his scales, and his heart beating deep in his chest was what she longed for. If she could move, she would go and find Spyro, wherever he was, and tell him how she felt about him.

Horror washed over her. She had no idea whether Spyro was alive or not. The last thing she remembered was the core of the earth filling with light. She had no idea how she got to where she was. Then again, she also had no idea where she was. But she was more concerned with Spyro's whereabouts and wellbeing than her own. She then became aware of her own form. She was sprawled out on the bed, lying on her stomach, her wings lazily spread out. She strained herself to get up and find Spyro, but as she tried to use her forepaws to lift herself off the bed, she simply fell back down on the sheets and sighed, saddened.

Coming up the flight of wooden stairs that led to the floor which Spyro's and Cynder's rooms were on, Hunter of Avalar was followed by Sparx the Dragonfly. As they entered the hallway lined with doors, Sparx sped ahead of the cheetah to Spyro's door. When Hunter opened the door, Sparx burst into the room, shouting,

"Spyro, buddy! You're alive!", and rushed over to his foster brother's side. "You saved the world, man! I swear, I won't make another crack about you being all fat and purple!" Spyro grinned weakly, and corrected his brother.

"Thanks, Sparx, but it wasn't just me. I couldn't have done it without Cynder. She stuck with me, and fought alongside me."

"Pfft, man, whatever." Sparx said. "I would've stayed with you, if you didn't make me stay with big creepy cat guy over there!" the dragonfly pointed to the cheetah standing silently in the corner, watching the small family reunion.

"Spyro, thanks to you and Cynder, the world is at peace once more." Hunter said.

"Where's Cynder?" Spyro asked, worried. "Is she alright?"

"What?" Sparx asked. "Who cares about that evil monster! You're a hero, buddy!"

"Cynder is in a room at the other end of the hall." Hunter said. "Do you have enough strength to come see her?" Spyro pushed himself up off the bed, slowly, but surely. He folded his wings and got onto the floor, saying,

"Let's go."

Spyro trod down the hall slowly, feeling the strain on his muscles with every footstep. When he approached the door at the end of the hall, he lifted up his front claw and knocked gently on the old, wooden door.

"Huh?" Cynder mumbled on the other side of the door. "Come in." Spyro turned the doorknob and stuck his head through the doorway. She turned her head, and their eyes met, emerald meeting amethyst.

"Cynder, are you okay?" Spyro asked her.

"Yes Spyro. I'm fine." Cynder assured him. "Come in." He trotted into the room, standing eye to eye with the dragoness before him. "Spyro, we did it." she smiled. "We saved the world."

"Oh, Cynder. I'm just glad you're alright." he said, putting a claw on her shoulder. "I didn't think either of us would make it out of there."

"How did we get out of there?" she asked him.

"Well, I hardly remember, but as the earth was sealing up, I flew us up, out of the mouth of the Mountain of Malefor, and carried you back to the gates of the city." he explained. Her heart soared. He had carried her here with the last of his strength, yet another case of him saving her life while risking his own.

"Spyro, thank you." Cynder said. "Thank you for saving me from Malefor time and time again. Thank you for watching out for me. Thank you for caring when no one else did. Thank you for saving the world. Thank you for everything, Spyro." She had never told him exactly how grateful she was for everything he had done for her. Now that she had, it touched his heart.

He was preparing to tell her that he loved her, when he noticed several things all at once. First, he noticed the dragoness' form, sprawled out on the bed, sunlight making her glossy black scales glimmer. He saw the curves of her body, the lean muscles, the long, unfurled wings, and the deadly tail. He saw her deep, emerald eyes gazing up at him, so innocently. Strangely, he also noticed Cynder's sweet, heavy odor, which filled his nose. He had never noticed any of these details about her before. As he took in these new sights and smells, his heart began to race, and his breathing became quick. He felt a bead of sweat trickle dow his forehead.

As he experienced these new feelings, silently gazing back at the black beauty before him, he was hit by yet another new sensation. It felt as though all of the blood in his body was rushing towards the base of his tail. The blood seemed to fill his dragonhood, creating a growing sensation. When he looked down, the engorged member had made its way outside of his body, clearly visible.

Spyro was scared, embarassed, and panicking. Before Cynder could notice, he tried to cover the organ with his forepaws, but to no avail: it was simply too big to hide. This had never happened to him before. What was happening to his body! He couldn't let Cynder see this! He only had one option. To run.

"Umm...I...Cynder..." Spyro stammered, turning around and fleeing back to his room as quickly as his sore legs could carry him, slamming and locking the door behind him.

Cynder stared on, mouth agape. What had happened? She had just revealed her gratitude, and he ran away, seemingly for no reason at all. Did...did he not love her back? Why else would he flee from the tender moment? A tear formed at the corner of her eye, but she was unable to brush it away. Sparx had already left to pursue his brother, while Hunter slowly turned around and left Cynder to herself. She was heartbroken.

* * *

Thanks for being paitent and reading! I hope that not too many of you notice the edits I made. The story should progress faster from here on out, so I sure hope you enjoy it!

--L/M


	3. Anger

Back in Spyro's room, the purple dragon lay panting on his bed, tired anf sweating from running the short distance from Cynder's room. His organ had retreated back into his body by then, but he was still frightened by what had just happened to him. Was that normal? Why hadn't the Guardians told him about this? As these thoughts raced through his mind, he remembered what the Guardians had told him about. It seemed as though they had only taught him to fight. Was that all he was to them? Was he a fighter, a weapon to be used to save their own lives?

The thought of the Dragon Guardians simply using him as a tool gave him a bitter feeling. However, he did not feel bitter thinking of Ignitus. He had been the closest thing to a father Spyro had ever had. He was always looking out for him, he had even died for him. He had told Spyro that he shared a special bond with Cynder, and told him to follow his heart…why would he say that if the prophecies dictated otherwise? As he remembered everything Ignitus had done for him, his bitterness faded into sadness at his loss, tears forming in his eyes. He buried his head in the sheets of the bed he was laying on, confused, saddened, frightened, and tired.

Back in Cynder's room, she too was crying. The only one she had ever loved had just ran away from her as she revealed her true feelings to him. Perhaps she was not meant to love, she thought. Perhaps her destiny was to die, as punishment for all the evil she had inflicted upon the world. Who was she to think that she deserved love, let alone the love of the legendary purple dragon? That was selfish, and stupid of her to think that! These thoughts only made her cry even more. Spyro didn't love her, she was sure of it. As soon as she tried to become more than friends with him, he was terrified of her, like the monster she was.

In the hallway, three booming pairs of footsteps echoed as the three remaining Dragon Guardians made their way upstairs. They arrived to see Sparx knocking on Spyro's door, begging for entry, with Hunter simply watching silently, as always. They could faintly hear sobbing coming from the other end of the hall. Immediately, the three wondered what was going on. As if he knew what they were thinking, Hunter approached the Guardians and explained,

"Spyro woke up and went to go see Cynder. Just as they were talking, Spyro ran out of the room and barred himself in his, for no reason whatsoever." All three shared nervous glances with each other.

Cyril was the first to speak up, saying,

"Well, we had come to congratulate Spyro and Cynder, but it seems we have a new task at hand, do we not?" Terrador sighed, thundering over to Spyro's door, brushing Sparx aside, and pounding the door with his forepaw.

"Spyro, we need to talk to you." he boomed in his deep voice. "Let us in." From the other side of the door, Spyro cried,

"Go away!", his voice muffled. This only made the Guardians more suspicious. Terrador pounded on the door once more, this time much harder, turning the door into a pile of splinters as the three walked in nonchalantly. To see the dragon of legend who had defeated the Dark Master crying with his head under his wings was a pitiful shock to them.

Glaring at the young dragon, Cyril asked,

"Spyro, what happened?" Immediately, Spyro sprung up, glaring back at the Guardians with irritated, red, angry eyes.

"What happened?" he shouted, full of rage once more. "What happened? How am I supposed to know what happened? You tell me!" Just as Volteer was about to say something, Spyro continued. "Oh, that's right! You never tell me anything! All you've told me to do is fight! Well, what are you going to tell me to fight, now that there's nothing left?What am I to you now? I'm useless! What is there to fight, now that the world is saved?"

Terrador sighed, gloomily.

"Spyro, we never thought we'd have to explain this to you. But, Malefor's gone, and you're still alive, I guess we have to." He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "Prophecy tells that the purple dragon is destined to rid the earth of evil and die in the process." Spyro's eyes grew narrower, knowing that his predictions were correct. "We don't know what to make of the fact that you're still alive."

Even more furious now that he knew he was right, Spyro shouted,

"So you simply expected me to fight and die? Is that why you never taught me anything else?" At this Cyril muttered,

"Well, that is what the prophecies said, so…" but Spyro cut him off.

"Well, the prophecies are wrong again! Did Malefor rid the world of evil? No! The prophecies are always wrong! I didn't die, in fact, Ignitus died instead of me!" he screamed. "How do you feel now, knowing that your stupid prophecies killed Ignitus?"

A guilty silence filled the room, with the Dragon Guardians exchanging remorseful glances. Volteer looked like he was about to say something, but he didn't, which was a rare occurrence. Instead, Terrador was the first to break the silence.

"Spyro, we all miss Ignitus too. You have every right to be angry with us." he spoke. "But you have to understand…" Once again, Spyro cut the Guardian off, screaming,

"No! No more! I'm not going to let you or your prophecies control me anymore! I can be the master of my own fate! I'm going to find out my real destiny, on my own! And you can't stop me!"

Spyro rose up from the bed and darted out of the window, flying as fast as his sore wings possibly could. The Guardians did nothing to stop him. As he flew alongside the building, he slowed as he passed Cynder's window. He perched himself precariously on the windowsill, silently, as to make sure she didn't know he was watching her. He eyed over the dark, sobbing form, wishing he could take her with him. But, he told himself, his journey was one of solitude. He made a silent promise to himself, swearing to return one day to the one he…the one he loved.

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Shorter chapter than usual, but a quicker update than usual. I felt kind of "out" today while writing this, so please, give me help editing this to be better!

--L/M


	4. Blame

Now in the sky above the Dragon City, Spyro flew as hard with his weary wings. His anger at the Guardians could only fuel him for so long. After a long while of flying, he looked back. He was far enough that he could no longer see the broken walls that surrounded the city. Before he could look forwards, however, he felt a dizzy sensation fill his head, like the dizzy tiredness he had felt before falling into the Chronicler's realm 4 times before the Eternal Night. He tried to fight it, but the dizziness and tiredness was too hard to shake off. He stopped flying, and his weary form crumpled as it dropped like a stone and hit the ground below.

Back in the lodge in Warfang, the Dragon Guardians and Hunter were in a large room on one of the lower floors.

"We need to know what made Spyro act out, such as he did." Cyril said.

"We also need to know what made him flee from Cynder." Terrador added.

"I just think that the whole situation is chaotic, confusing, bamboozling, and difficult to comprehend!" Volteer babbled. "We need specifications about the situation!"

"I believe Volteer has a point." Terrador agreed. The three dragons' eyes turned to Hunter. He looked back up at them, then began to speak.

"Alright, I'll tell you what I know." Hunter sighed, pulling off his hood. "The first thing Spyro did when he woke up was ask us where Cynder was." Cyril raised an eye ridge. "Even though he could hardly walk, he went over to Cynder's room. He was concerned about whether she was alright, that much is certain. When she began thanking him for saving her life, he got this strange look in his eyes. He got nervous, started stammering, and fled."

"Is that all?" Cyril asked.

"I'm afraid that's all I know." Hunter admitted.

"Hmm." Terrador seemed to have an idea. "This look in Spyro's eyes…What exactly was strange about it?"

"I don't really know." Hunter said. "At first, it was a look of contentment, of relaxation. Then, it turned into one of fear, or shame. What do you make of that?" The Guardians shot each other nervous glances once again. They knew exactly what had happened to Spyro.

"Er…you may go, Hunter. Thank you for your help." The cheetah left without a word.

"I remember we all agreed that Ignitus would be the one to explain all this to him." Cyril said, defensively.

"Well, he never got the chance to, apparently." Terrador said. "Which would explain why Spyro doesn't know what happened."

"And that's why he flew off!" Cyril exclaimed. "Remember, he was shouting about how we never tell him anything…"

As they remembered what Spyro had shouted at them in his fit of rage, the Guardians' eyes showed sadness. It was true, they had only taught him to fight. But, that was because that was all they agreed they were to teach him. Ignitus, had he been given the chance, would have taught Spyro about how he would change as he approached maturity. And, during a time where fighting would save the world, of course they would devote all of their teaching to fighting!

"Well, if Ignitus hadn't…" Cyril began, but was cut off by Volteer.

"Cyril, it isn't Ignitus' fault entirely. Any of us could have taught him."

"Yes, Volteer." Cyril replied, pained. A silence fell over the room as the Guardians felt guilty.

"Remember when there were classrooms full of young dragons and dragonesses learning about maturing?" Cyril asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, yes." Volteer said. "I remember we used to have to kick the young couples out of each other's rooms late at night."

"Yes, I remember that all too well." Cyril said, laughing. Terrador merely sighed.

"I remember those days as well. But now, the only hope of there being more dragons lies in Spyro and Cynder."

"Although, Terrador, we still don't know if Cynder is even fertile." Cyril reminded the Earth Guardian. Aside from leaving her scales permenantly black, stripping her natural-born element of fire, and providing her with control over new elements, they all had no idea how much being tainted with Malefor's influence had affected Cynder. They had predicted that her ability to fall gravid might be affected, but they could only hope that nothing more serious had been affected.

Back in Cynder's quarters, the young black dragoness had fallen asleep. She was muttering in her sleep,

"…S…Spyro…No, don't go…", obviously dreaming of her one love. She didn't know that Spyro had flown out of the lodge; in fact, the Guardians hadn't even talked to her at all. She also didn't know that she was being watched.

Hunter was leaning on the doorway, watching the sleeping dragoness. What fate, he wondered, might lie ahead for these young dragons? As they approached maturity, he could see a family in their near future, but how would the world's only family of dragons fare in this world? They would truly be alone in the realms, the last of a dying breed. He couldn't predict what would happen, but he prayed to the Ancestors that their stories would end well.

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Not much of a progression, but I'm not out camping anymore, so there may even be an update in a matter of hours.

Thanks fir the reads and reviews!

--L/M


	5. Revelation

Spyro awoke with a gasp. He looked around to find that he was laying on one of the many familiar floating platforms that the Chronicler's Realm was made of. He had been here many times before, so he wasn't shocked to see the place, but he was curious as to why he might be here.

"Hello?" he asked to the black space on which the seemingly innumerable platforms levitated. "Chronicler? Why am I here again?" He was not greeted by the familiar voice of the Chronicler he knew, but rather an even more familiar voice.

"Spyro, I have called you here for a new task." the voice of Ignitus told him. His eyes lit up at the sound of the familiar voice.

Rather than the voice seeming to come from nowhere, as the old Chronicler's voice had, Ignitus' voice seemed to come from behind. Spyro whipped around to see the great dragon standing behind him, chuckling. The dragon's scales were no longer a deep red, but a pale blue. Despite the color change, Spyro could tell from the comforting voice and familiar face that this dragon was indeed Ignitus. Spyro rushed over to the pale blue dragon, the two sharing a long embrace.

"Ignitus, we did it!" Spyro exclaimed joyously, grinning from ear to ear. "We defeated Malefor!"

"Oh, I knew you would, young dragon." Ignitus chuckled. "Now, tell me, why are you here, instead of celebrating your victory in Warfang?"

"Well, Ignitus, I…" Spyro began, but Ignitus raised a forepaw to silence him.

"Spyro, I know what happened. It's alright. You had every reason to be angry at the other Guardians, and at me. I was supposed to be the one to teach you about what would happen to you as you approach maturity." Ignitus confessed.

"But...but, Ignitus, my…" Spyro started to stammer.

"Shh, young dragon." the former Fire Guardian comforted him. "I can assure you, it was all natural and normal. You need not fear what is happening to you."

"Alright, Ignitus. But can you please explain why I'm feeling these new emotions, and experiencing these new things?" Spyro begged.

"I'm afraid not, Spyro." Ignitus sighed. "That lesson is not mine to teach anymore." Disappointment washed over Spyro's face when he heard this.

"However, this leads me to the task I must ask of you." Ignitus said. "During your final battle with Malefor, only a portion of the Dragon Temple was destroyed. The rest of it landed in a valley to the south of what remains of Mount Malefor, and is still partially intact. I want you to go there and learn whatever you can from my collection of scrolls. What you seek to know les within those scrolls, as well as many other things you will want to know." Ignitus' voice grew sorrowful. "I can only hope it makes up for the lessons I was supposed to teach you while I was alive."

"Alright. Thank you, Ignitus, for everything." Spyro said.

"No, Spyro, thank you. You've saved the world. Now go, and follow your heart. It will never fail you!" Ignitus told him, the realm fading away quickly into white light.

When Spyro awoke, he was startled by the sound of chirping birds. Morning had just barely broken, meaning he had been asleep for nearly another full day. With all that rest, his weariness was fading, and he felt rejuvenated. He examined his surroundings to find he was in a clearing in a dense forest. He could see the sunlight shining through holes between leaves in warm, yellow rays. He could hear the sound of running water nearby, which made him realize just how thirsty he was. He made his way across the leafy forest floor, through the trees, to a small, fast-running creek. He dipped his maw into the cool, clear water and lapped it up, the water feeling good on his dry throat.

Some bright red fruit hung from a vine on a tree above Spyro's head. He grabbed the large fruit and greedily ate it down to the core. He had not eaten since he had awoken the day before either, and was hungry. The sweet, juicy fruit gave him enough energy to begin flying towards the place where his questions would be answered.

He flapped his wings, which were no longer as tired as the were the day before, and lifted himself above the treetops. The sky was completely blue except for a few puffy, white clouds. To the east, he thought he could see part of Warfang's walls, but only barely. To the west, he saw the jagged remnants of the Mountain of Malefor, pointing up above the trees. Aside from those two landmarks, all he could see for miles and miles were treetops. He knew where he had to go, and began to fly slightly to the south of the mountain.

He worried about Cynder. He longed for her, but he knew he couldn't return to her until he had learned what he was going through. Maybe, back in that lodge, she was longing for him too. As he felt the wind beneath his outstretched wings, he hoped that she was.

* * *

Two in one night! That's a pretty satisfying accomplishment for me! Like I said, chapters are short, but expect me to be doing at least 1 a night, so long as I keep having this much creative energy!

RNRPLZKTHNXBAI!

--L/M


	6. Sorrow

Cynder had woken up already, albeit late in the morning, and enough of her strength had returned that she had gotten out of bed. No one knew she was awake yet, so she figured she would explore the lodge. As she walked past the one room with an unlocked door, she had figured that it was Spyro's room. When she entered, a familiar smell filled her snout. It was a heavy, musky odor, which seemed to put her in a daze. This was definitely Spyro's room. She figured he must have already set out into the rest of the lodge, so she resolved to find him and find out what had happened.

As she walked down one of the many vast hallways of the lodge, she heard familiar voices. Cyril, Volteer, Terrador, Hunter, and Sparx were meeting in the same room they met in yesterday. She pressed up against the door of the room, curious as to what they might be saying.

"…still have no idea where Spyro is, do we?" she heard Cyril say.

"No, I'm afraid not. The Moles have set out sentries, but we don't expect them to find anything." Terrador said.

"My people have been searching as well, and they know that he's certainly not in Warfang." Hunter said. "And we don't know which direction he flew in, so he could be anywhere."

"Well, he was quite tired when he ran out." Cyril said. "He couldn't have gone too far."

Cynder's eyes filled up with tears once more. Spyro had gone missing? Not only had he ran away from her, but he had ran away from everyone else? There had to be something very wrong with him. She tried to stop from sobbing, but the fact that her one love was missing and could not be found was too much to hold back. She heard the room fall silent as they could hear her crying. One of them opened the door to reveal the crying Cynder to the rest of them.

"Cynder! You're awake!" Hunter exclaimed.

"Er…I take it you heard what we were saying, no?" Cyril asked. She nodded, still sobbing.

"There, there, Cynder." Volteer attempted to comfort the sobbing dragoness, laying a forepaw on her back. "We miss Spyro too, and we're doing everything in our power to find him."

"I think I should go find him myself." Hunter said. "The Moles are getting nowhere fast, and the other Avalarians aren't doing much better." The crying dragoness wiped away a tear, and said,

"No, Hunter. I'll go look for him. After all, it's my fault he left…I think."

"Well, technically, yes, it was…" Cyril muttered, before he was silenced by Terrador.

"No, Cynder. You're in no condition to be flying." he said. He was right; though she could walk fine, her wings were still slightly weary.

"Fine." Cynder sighed. "I'll leave tomorrow."

"And I'm coming with her." Sparx said. Curious faces turned to him. "What, a guy can't team up with an evil she-dragon to go find his buddy?"

"Fine, Sparx, you can go with Cynder, if she permits it." Terrador said.

"Alright, Sparx." Cynder sighed. "So long as you keep your little mouth shut, you can come with me."

High in the sky above the dense forests, Spyro estimated he was he was already halfway to his destination. He was diving between the thick, white clouds, enjoying the feeling of the air beneath his wings. He dipped down low in the sky, his tail tip nearly brushing the tops of trees. He could feel the heat of the sun warming his back scales. He closed his eyes, soaking in the heat.

When he opened his eyes, however, there was no forest below him. He looked back to see that the trees had abruptly ended. The ground below him looked like cooled lava, a rippled, grey surface. He knew where he was now. This was where the Ring of Fire burned only days before. This was where Ignitus had given his life for Spyro and Cynder. He could see that the path of rock went all the way to the top of the jagged remains of Mount Malefor.

During his final battle with Malefor, Spyro had been told things by the Dark Master that confused him. Malefor had said that there were other purple dragons before himself, and that they had all brought about the destruction of their world and the birth of another. But, the Guardians had told him, shortly before he left, that the purple dragon's fate was to rid the world of evil and die in the process. Neither himself nor Malefor had fulfilled either of those prophecies. Evidently, both of these prophecies were false. But what did this mean for Spyro? Did he have some other fate, one greater than he could imagine? Or was there simply no destiny at all? Spyro was deep in thought as he followed the barren path of stone to his destination.

"Hunter!" Chief Prowlus exclaimed, bursting into room where the Guardians, Sparx, Cynder, and Hunter were. "We found dragon tracks in the forest, only a few miles west of here."

"Where do they lead to?" Hunter asked.

"Nowhere. They led a few feet from where they started, down to Crystal Creek, and they stopped right there." Prowlus explained.

"Hmm. He must have flown off." Hunter said. "Tomorrow, I want you to take Sparx and Cynder to where you found the prints. Cynder, Sparx, that's where you'll start."

Cynder felt nervous. She had only made it through places like Malefor's Lair because Spyro was with her. Without him, she would have a difficult time in the forest. She hated to admit it, but she had a fear of being alone. While Sparx would be there, he certainly wouldn't be much help, or much of a companion.

What if, when she found him, he just ran off again? Or what if she didn't find him? What if he was hurt, or worse? What if she got hurt out there? She was worried, for her own wellbeing and for Spyro's. She hoped that the journey would turn out well, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong.

* * *

I have achieved my benchmark of 100+ reads per day! That might not seem like a lot to some of you, but to a first-time writer, it's pretty good! As of right now, I'd say the story is about halfway done, but expect me to cook up some twists that will change the plot.

Thanks!

--L/M


	7. Solitude

Night had fallen over the Dragon Realms.

Out, alone in the wilderness, Spyro stared into the flickering flames of the fire he had created for warmth. He had made it to the base of the mountain before the sun disappeared over the tops of the trees that ran alongside the former Ring of Fire, and he was tired from flying all day. Aside from the crackling of the fire and his own breathing, the world sounded silent to him. The fire was small, made only from sticks he had found on the floor of the forest on either side of the barren earth, but it was enough to keep him warm from the coolness of the summer night.

As he gazed into the flame, he wondered how Cynder was. He had seen her crying when he left the lodge, which only made it harder to leave. With all his heart, he wanted to be with her, but he knew he must find out what had happened to him before he saw her again, out of fear that it might happen again. Spyro gazed up at the vast array of stars over his head, seeing the night in all its beauty. The bright stars against the darkness of the night sky looked like drops of glistening dew on the scales of Cynder, his black beauty. The sight only made him long to see her more. He could see her deep, emerald eyes, her ivory horns, and her long, seductive body. He felt his heart beat grow quick, but he shook the mental image out of his head before anything happened. He couldn't wait until he saw her again.

But, after they reunited, what would become of them? Perhaps that was what he would learn at the Temple. Ignitus had told him that he would learn other things when he reached the Temple, but exactly what, he did not say. Tucking himself underneath his wing, Spyro closed his eyes, the black dragoness still in his head. He loved her, and missed her. But, he promised, he would return shortly, and stay with her forever.

Back in the lodge, Cynder snuggled up under the soft sheets of her bed. Her purple hero was still in her mind. Oh, how she hoped to the Ancestors that she would find him, and that he was alright! She knew that the search would be hard, but she hoped for the best. She prayed that they would be together forever, and that he would love her as she loved him. As the moonlight illuminated her deep, black scales, she shut her eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep.

Hunter of Avalar was in his room, on one of the lower floors of the lodge. He was laying in his bed, but did not sleep. He was gazing out the window, wondering where Spyro had run off to. He worried for the fate of the Dragon race. If Spyro could be found, and he and Cynder were reunited, only then would there be a chance of any more dragons coming into the world. He continued to stare off into the night sky for quite a while, before finally succumbing to sleep's grasp.

Cyril, too, lay awake in one of the rooms on the lower floors. He worried about the fate of the Dragon race as well, but for different reasons. If Cynder couldn't become gravid, as he had predicted, then whatever mating might occur between her and Spyro would be futile. He worried about having to teach Spyro and Cynder when they returned.

He also worried about a secret he and the other Guardians kept. On the night that the Dark Master's army raided the Dragon Temple, they had sent other dragons off with a few of the eggs, hoping that they would survive. None of the Guardians knew if the dragons carrying the eggs had made it to safety. Even if they had, he thought, did the eggs hatch? Where were these dragons, if anywhere at all? If Cynder indeed was infertile, then the fate of the race depended on whatever dragons might lay elsewhere in the vast world. The Ice Guardian shut his eyes, concerned for the two young dragons, as well as any others there might be in the world.

Back out in the wilderness, Spyro was dreaming that he and Cynder were on one of the many decks of the Dragon Temple, which was placed back in its original location. They had seen the view from the tower before, but now they looking at the beautiful view of the world freed from Malefor's corruption. Their tails were interlocked, and Spyro gave Cynder a small kiss on her maw as they hazed out into the world, her face lighting up. However, someone appeared behind them. It was another dragoness, with pastel pink scales, bright blue eyes, a small snout, a beige underside, long, angular beige horns, and purple ridges and wings. The pink dragoness and Cynder fought, clawing, biting, and brutally beating each other up. There was blood, shed by both dragonesses. The scene was too much for Spyro to take. He tried to intervene and protect Cynder, but he felt as though he was being held back, unable to move. He couldn't stop the two from fighting. The fight had no noise, but the sight of the carnage before him was making him dizzy.

The purple dragon awoke with a gasp from his nightmare, with a gasp of fear. His fire had gotten smaller, but his mind was on the dream. What did this mean? Were there more dragons? Why was this one fighting Cynder? The nightmare was as frightening as it was confusing, and he prayed that it would not come to reality. As it was still late in the night, Spyro tried to get some more sleep, planning to finish his journey tomorrow. What would await him at his destination, he didn't know, but his love for Cynder was enough for him to carry on, no matter what.

* * *

Alright, so my read count is looking more like 200+ per day!

This chapter feels weird to me, aside from being short. I could use some reviews to help keep me on track, and a proofreader would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I didn't know I would be using Ember when I started this story. Now, I just have to find out how to get Flame in there. Any ideas?

--L/M


	8. Search

"Here's where the prints started." Chief Prowlus said, pointing towards the marks on the ground. The cheetah, as well as Cynder and Sparx, had woken up early in the morning, to try and get a headstart on finding Spyro.

"Well, what do you make of this?" Sparx asked, looking at the dragon-sized dent in the soft earth. Cynder gasped.

"He…he must have crashed." she stammered. What could have made Spyro crash? Was he hurt? She and Sparx followed Prowlus alongside the tracks, to where the creek was.

"They end right here, at the creek's bank." Prowlus said. "Where could have gone from there?"

"Well, he certainly didn't swim, did he?" Sparx said. "I mean, he's not exactly prime fish material. You know, doesn't like to swim. But you big cat people would understand not liking water, wouldn't you?" At that comment, Prowlus' expression grew defensive.

"Look at this." Cynder said, seeing the pattern in the leaves where the tracks ended. There were two large crescents of uncovered earth, the round ends pointing in the same direction. When Spyro took off, she figured, he must have blown some of the leaves up. "I think this can tell us where Spyro flew from here." She lined her wings up with the crescents, and slowly flapped them. She hovered up vertically until she was above the trees. Straight ahead, she was looking slightly to the south of Mount Malefor.

"Thanks for your help, Prowlus." Cynder shouted down. "But we can take it from here." The cheetah saluted the black dragoness, and darted off, back towards the Dragon City. She flew off straight towards the south of the mountain, with Sparx struggling to catch up. What could Spyro possibly want to go there for? Regardless, she would find him. Her hope of seeing him again drove her as she sped through the summer sky.

Meanwhile, Spyro was already in the air. He was darting between the smaller foothills around the base of Mount Malefor, knowing he was close to his destination. Eventually, after making his way through the foothills, he noticed a rich, green valley, hidden in between the rocky peaks of the small mountains. This, he thought, must be it! He brought himself down to the valley floor and landed.

The valley was very large; it was not very wide, but stretched on for miles and miles lengthwise. The entire valley floor was covered in long, soft, green grass, and there were tall trees scattered throughout the grass as well. He was at the northern tip of the valley, and he certainly didn't see any Dragon Temple remains, so he figured he should proceed down, to search the entire valley for it.

How, he wondered, had someplace as beautiful and tranquil as this, survived so close to the core of Malefor's grasp? Did any creatures live here, or had the Dark Master's armies taken them? If anything did live there, he prayed that it would not be hostile. He had experienced enough fighting in his lifetime. He had worked so hard to make this world peaceful, and he could only hope it would stay that way.

After a very long while spent flying, Cynder noticed something strange. She smelt a faint trace of smoke. Curious, she followed the trail of scent, Sparx right behind her.

"Woah! Where're ya going?" Sparx asked, but she was too focused on the scent of smoke, which was getting stronger. When she reached the end of the trail, she arrived at Spyro's campsite.

"Sparx, Spyro's been here." she said, noticing the dragon tracks around the fire, although they only led to another pair of crescent-shaped marks in the earth.

She took off in the same manner as before, not noticing that the sun was slowly disappearing behind the mountain. She could sense that she was close to him,

Spyro spent all day traveling down the valley, wondering what would await him at the temple. Just as the sun began to disappear behind the valley's bowl-like walls, he saw the sunset's red light glisten off of some object over the horizon. As he flew forwards, more and more of the object was exposed. It was a tower, of beige stone. Others appeared over the horizon shortly after. More and more of the towers were revealed as he drew nearer to it. He had found the Dragon Temple, perched on a small hill.

Quickening his pace, he landed right at the entrance and examined the Temple. Aside from a great deal of cracks, chips, and holes, the entire temple was intact! As he stepped forward, the door before him opened, automatically as it were. He entered the first of many antechambers, to notice that the series of doors before him now were all opened. Had someone, or something, been here? He passed through the doorways, treading lightly. Just as he entered the main foyer of the temple, the last rays of the sun slipped behind the wall-like hills that surrounded the valley. The temple was dark now.

"Alright, I'm here." Spyro muttered to himself. "What now?" He remembered Ignitus had told him to find his collections of scrolls. All four doors leading to his former training areas were open, which unnerved him slightly. Naturally, he entered the room where he and Ignitus had trained, seeing the great dragon statue standing tall in the center of the room. Across the room was a doorway, which he had never entered before. However, this door was opened now.

"That must have been Ignitus' room. I bet that's where those scrolls are." Spyro said to himself, walking towards the doorway.

He heard a rustling of paper, and hurried footsteps. There was someone, or something, in the room before him. Out of reflex, he pressed himself up against the wall, careful not to make a sound. Whatever was in there, he had to get it out. Tiptoeing, he made his way to the doorway. He readied himself to charge into the room, counting down in his head.

"3." He took a deep breath.

"2." He positioned himself in front of the door.

"1." He crouched down.

"Go." He charged into the dark room. Something charged back at him, hitting him on the head with a strong blunt force. He fell to the floor, as did whatever he charged at.

* * *

Another two-in-one-day. This puts me at a great place to incorporate Flame and Ember in. I expect this story to run longer than I expected (whatever that means!), and I could certainly use some ideas!

Thanks to everyone for reading, especially those who review!

--L/M


	9. Flame

"Urk…" Spyro groaned, clutching his head. He shook his head, and got back up on his feet. What stood before him gave him quite a shock. Also clutching his head was a red dragon, approximately the same size as himself, a long, round snout, yellow wings and ridges, a yellow underside, big, red eyes, and tall, beige horns.

"Aah!" the red dragon shouted, surprised.

"Aah!" Spyro shouted, equally surprised.

"Woah! Sorry, you surprised me there…" the red dragon said, his tone friendly. "Say, I haven't seen you before. What're you doing around here?"

"I should be asking you the same question." Spyro said, astonished. He had always been told that he and Cynder were the last of their generation. To see another dragon was quite a surprise!

"Oh! Well, once Malefor and all his troops left the valley, me and the other dragons…" the red dragon began to say, but Spyro cut him off.

"Others?" Spyro asked. "You mean there are more dragons?"

"Umm, yeah." The dragon continued. "Like I was saying, once the valley was free, we figured it was free to go down into it. I mean, this place sure seems a lot nicer than the places we were before. While I was exploring, I found this place, and decided to have a look around."

Spyro was very confused.

"Wait, you said there were more dragons." he said.

"Yeah. There's Volta and Surgio, they're both electric dragons, brother and sister. There's Gaia, an earth dragoness, and Cyprin, an ice dragon." the red dragon listed off. "There's Ember…" his voice softened at her name. "She's a fire dragoness. Oh yeah, and there's Blaze. He a fire dragon, and he kind of keeps watch over us all. And, of course, there's me. I'm Flame!"

"I'm Spyro." Spyro said, extending a forepaw. Flame reached out and shook it.

"So, I've never seen a purple dragon before." Flame noted. "What element are you?"

"Er, that's kind of a long story." Spyro said.

"Well, we don't have a long time." Flame said. "Blaze wanted me back before sundown, and it's already dark!"

"Flame, I have to stay here." Spyro said. "I'm looking for something important."

"Well, if you want to stick around, at least let me show you these cool scrolls I found." Flame said, walking back into the room through the doorway. Spyro followed. The room was small and sparse, containing only a bed and shelves crammed with scrolls, many of which were laying on the floor.

"Hey!" Spyro said, annoyed. "You can't just go through Ignitus' belongings like this!"

"Oh, but you can?" Flame retorted. "And who's Ignitus?"

"Never mind…" Spyro grumbled.

"Aha. Here it is." Flame said, nudging one of the many scrolls on the floor over to Spyro. He picked it up, reading the title.

"'The Art of Mating'?" Spyro read. "What is this?"

"What does it sound like, numbskull?" Flame chuckled. "Open it. Go on!" Spyro carefully unraveled the scroll. His eyes widened in shock at the contents of the thin paper scroll before him.

There were pictures of dragons, looking slightly older than Spyro, on the scroll. But, they all seemed to be doing…What was it that they were doing? Each picture contained either two dragons doing…peculiar things to one another, or, in a few, dragons and dragonesses doing things just as peculiar to themselves. Text below each picture seemed to explain exactly what the drawings were. He wanted to turn away from the pictures, but his eyes seemed to be forced to scan the entire scroll. They seemed to be most drawn to the largest picture, in the middle of the scroll. A male dragon was lying atop a female dragon, their bodies locked together in a perfect union, passionately kissing one another. Spyro could feel his heart race, and he felt the now-familiar pressure at the base of his tail, but he closed the scroll before matters could get any worse.

"Neat, huh?" Flame said, eyeing the other scrolls he had laid out.

"Neat?" Spyro said, shocked. "That was…that was…" He was at a loss for words.

"Here's some more like that one." Flame said, offering two more scrolls to Spyro.

"I…I think I'm all set…for now, at least." Spyro stammered.

"Well, come on, let's head back to the campsite." Flame said, heading out of the room. "It's not far from here. We might be able to make it back before Blaze notices I'm late, if we're lucky."

"Um, thanks for the offer, Flame." Spyro said. "But I've got places to go." The thought of returning to Cynder was heavy in his mind.

"What?" Flame exclaimed. "You're going to go flying, alone, when it's this dark out? Come on, you can stay a night, can't you?" Spyro had never liked flying in the dark, and he would need rest to make it all the way back to the city.

"Alright." Spyro said. "Take me back to the campsite."

The two dragons took off into the night, flying down towards the southern end of the valley.

"So tell me, Flame." Spyro said, pulling up alongside the red dragon. "Where were you and the other dragons before Malefor's defeat?"

"We were in the Great Southern Forest." Flame said. "It's quite a ways south of here, and Malefor's troops never bothered to go through there. We were really the only things living there, aside from frogweed and fire beetles."

At the foot of the valley wall, the two dragons spotted a fire burning in a clearing in the grass.

"That's the site." Flame said. The two landed, right beside the fire. Out from under the shadows of a tree, a great figure appeared, walking towards the two dragons.

"Flame, you're late." the figure's voice boomed. "And what did you bring back this time? It had better not be…" As it walked closer, the fire's light revealed it. It was a great, tall, red dragon, looking extremely similar to Ignitus, aside from its yellow, less prominent ridges, taller horns, and slimmer stature.

"So, the purple dragon lives…" the larger dragon gasped, bowing its head.

"Are you Blaze?" Spyro asked.

"Yes, yes I am. Thank you, young dragon, for freeing us all from Malefor's constant threat." Blaze said.

"Well, it wasn't just me, but…" Spyro began, but was cut off by another voice, further away.

"What?" the voice asked. "Who's there? Whose voice is that?"

"Woah, is someone there?" another asked. From across the field, five figures made their way to the fire.

"Spyro, this is Gaia." Flame said, pointing to the slender green dragoness that approached first. "That's Volta and Surgio." he said, pointing towards the yellow dragoness chasing the yellow dragon towards the fire. "And there's Cyprin." he said, pointing at the slim, pale blue dragon following the others.

"Woah, a purple dragon!" Surgio exclaimed. "What element--"

"--Are you?" Volta completed her brother's sentence.

"The purple dragon is a very special dragon." Blaze said. "It appears only once every ten generations, and has the ability to wield all four elements."

"Neat!" Gaia said.

"Very neat indeed, Gaia." Blaze chuckled. "This young dragon was the one who defeated Malefor."

Flame's mind, however, was on a different matter.

"Where's Ember?" he asked, sounding worried. The other dragons and dragonesses merely shrugged.

"Right here." A voice said, right behind Flame. He whipped his head around see her, as did Spyro. Spyro was shocked to see the very pink dragon he had seen in his dream the night before, almost scared to see her. She shoved Flame out of her way, and walked over to Spyro.

"So, you're the purple dragon…" she said seductively, her tail running across his hind leg. "Such a handsome dragon, at any rate…" she chuckled lightly.

"Ember, that's quite enough." Blaze ordered, the pink dragoness walking away, her head down. "I'm sure Spyro is very tired from traveling all the way from…Where was it that you came here from?"

"Warfang, the Dragon City." Spyro said. "Or, what's left of it, anyways."

"I'm surprised to hear it's still standing at all." Blaze said. "And what are you doing out here, then?"

"I...err…" Spyro stammered. "I got lost, on my way to Avalar."

"Hmm." The large red dragon said, Spyro hoping he didn't see through his lie. "Well, you're more than welcome to stay here tonight, and then I suppose we should all head back to Warfang. I haven't seen that place for decades now!"

"Well, I'm sure the Guardians will be surprised to see that there are other dragons left in the world." Spyro said.

"The Dragon Guardians?" Blaze exclaimed. "They're still alive?"

"All but one, I'm afraid." Spyro said, his head down. "Ignitus died, bringing me and Cynder through the Ring of Fire."

"Oh." Blaze muttered, his head low with sadness as well. "I always knew my brother would die protecting others…"

"Your brother?" Spyro asked, surprised.

"Yes. Ignitus and I were brothers." the red dragon said. "Wait, did you say Cynder?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Spyro said, curious.

"You mean Cynder, the Dark Master's most loyal servant, the black terror of the skies, the monster that drove me and the hatchlings out of this valley and into those awful forests? My brother died for that Cynder?"

Spyro was full of rage at the way Blaze talked about Cynder.

"Don't you talk about Cynder that way!" he shouted. "It wasn't her fault she did those things, the Dark Master was using her! She's a hero now, and I couldn't have defeated Malefor without her!"

"Alright, give it a rest." Blaze said. "For your sake, I won't talk about Cynder anymore." He yawned. "Especially when it's this late. Everyone, let's all get some rest." The young dragons and dragonesses walked off to the trees.

"Wait, Blaze, we didn't tell you what we found." Flame said, catching up with the larger dragon.

"Yeah. We found the Dragon Temple, laying in the field a ways up the valley from here!" Spyro said.

"What? The whole Dragon Temple?" Blaze asked, in disbelief. "It's intact?"

"Mostly." Spyro said.

"Well, we'll have to investigate, and tell the Guardians, of course." Blaze said, yawning again. "But, for now, let's go to sleep, alright?"

"Spyro, you can share a tree with me, if you like…" Ember said, sneaking up behind Spyro.

"Umm, no thanks, Ember, I think I'm all set." he assured her.

"Fine, have it your way." She said, walking off. "I'll leave the invitation open, though…"

"What is with her?" Spyro asked Flame, who seemed to be in a trance at what just happened.

"Huh? Oh, Ember? She must just be coming on to you." Flame said. Under his breath, he grumbled. "I wish she'd be that way around me…"

The two young dragons walked off into the field.

"Come on, Spyro, we'll sleep underneath the same tree. I still want you to read those other scrolls I took." Flame said, revealing the three scrolls he had been carrying, hiding from Blaze.

"You stole them?" Spyro asked.

"Umm, yeah. You didn't get to read them, so I took them with me!" Flame said, passing them to Spyro. "I'm gonna catch some sleep, but you go and have yourself a jolly good time, alright?" Flame curled up on a mat of soft grass underneath the tree. Spyro laid the three scrolls out on the ground on the other side of the tree. One, titled, 'The Body of A Dragon', contained pictures of a male dragon's anatomy. Spyro didn't spend much time looking at that scroll, but he paid special attention to the scroll titled, 'The Body of A Dragoness'. He studied that scroll, reading whatever he could underneath the soft moonlight.

Eventually, Spyro became tired, and rolled up the scrolls and went to sleep. The thought of the large picture on 'The Art of Mating' lingered in his mind, only instead of the two dragons in the picture, it was himself and Cynder…Not knowing what to make of that, Spyro drifted off to sleep, experiencing a dream unlike any other he had experienced.

In a cave at the bottom of one of the many foothills surrounding Mount Malefor, Cynder lay curled up on the ground, sleeping. She had only flown so far into the night before she and Sparx grew tired. The golden dragonfly perched on one of her horns, her dreams were filled with Spyro. I will find him, she told herself. She had to. If she couldn't find Spyro, there was no reason to go on. She loved him.

* * *

Ohoho...big old chapter, and I think I'm liking writing big...

I'm not good at writing smut, so bear with me through the vagueness and euphemisms, please.

Anyways, thanks to everyone for reading, and please review!

--L/M


	10. Meeting

"Hey, Spyro!" Flame said, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Urk…wha?" Spyro mumbled, opening his eyes. "How early is it? The sun's hardly out yet!"

"Yeah, but if the Dragon City is far away, we're going to need a head start." Flame said, walking away. "I'll go tell Blaze we should get going." Spyro rolled himself upright and began to stretch, when he noticed a familiar pressure at the base of his tail. Though the scroll had explained exactly why his body was doing this, he was shocked to see his dragonhood already out nonetheless.

"This…this must have happened when I was sleeping…" Spyro muttered, remembering his vivid dream from the night before. He waited for the member to retract, and ran off in the same direction Flame did.

As Spyro made his way over to Blaze and Flame, a voice appeared behind him.

"Good morning, Spyro." the voice said, in a seductive manner. Spyro whipped his head around to see Ember, who was walking circles around him slowly, swinging her hips with every step. "Did you have sweet dreams?"

"Yes, yes I did." Spyro said. "What is it you want, Ember?"

"What do I want?" Ember said, feigning innocence. "Why, I want something very special…" She drew in close to him, and whispered. "I want you." Spyro shook her off, and continued walking over to the tree. Ember grumbled, annoyed at being ignored.

"You're right, Flame." Blaze said. "We should all get going now. If we go quick, we'll probably make it to the city by sundown."

"Do you know the way there?" Spyro asked.

"I believe I do. Even after all these years, I've still got a pretty good sense of direction." Blaze said, leaving to go tell the others that they were leaving.

"Blaze's memory isn't always too keen." Flame whispered to Spyro. "I'd feel more comfortable following you."

"I wouldn't have followed him either." Spyro chuckled.

"We can't forget to bring the scrolls." Flame said.

"Flame, how is it you already know about all of the…stuff on those scrolls?" Spyro asked.

"Huh? Oh, I suppose it's instinct, really. I guess I've always known about it!" Flame said. Spyro was curious. He certainly never had felt these instincts. Perhaps, since he was always so pressed to fight, he never had time to pay attention to them.

Flame was picking up the scrolls when he saw Ember, and fixed his gaze on her until she noticed him.

"You like her, don't you?" Spyro teased.

"Yeah." Flame sighed. "I just wish she felt the same way… It seems like all the other dragons have already picked their mates." Spyro looked at the other dragons to see that Volta and Cyprin were walking alongside each other, talking, and that Gaia and Surgio rolling in the grass, laughing.

"Well, if that's the case, then who else could Ember possibly choose?" Spyro asked.

"Well…" Flame said. "There's you…"

"Me?" Spyro exclaimed, shocked. "No, Flame, I'm not interested in Ember. I've already got someone in mind, actually…"

"You mean Cynder?" Flame asked.

"Yep." Spyro nodded. "I love her, Flame."

Flame was silent for a while, then said,

"You know, Blaze might still think Cynder's evil, but if you love her, I've got to believe that she's an ally."

"I'm glad you approve." Spyro said. "Now, let's get going!" He took off, speeding into the morning sky. Flame wasn't far behind, and the rest of the dragons followed suit. They were off, flying towards the north of the valley.

After a while of flying, Flame flew back alongside Blaze and said,

"Look! It's the Dragon Temple!"

"I see." Blaze said. "So you weren't lying after all. We don't have the time to stop there now, but we'll be sure to tell the Guardians when we reach Warfang."

Meanwhile, a sliver of sunlight slipped between the jagged foothills, illuminating only the mouth of a small cave. Cynder was sleeping still, but the sunlight on her eyes woke her up.

"Huh?" she mumbled groggily.

"Finally, you're up!" said Sparx. "Come on, she-witch, we can't sleep all day! We've got a purple thing with a weight problem to find!"

"You're right, Sparx." she sighed, still tired. "For once." Sleeping on the cold stone floor of the cave left her sore, but she knew she had a task to complete.

"Alright, so where do we start?" Sparx asked, darting around the black dragoness' head. She realized that she really had no idea where to start. She didn't know which direction Spyro was in.

"I…I don't know, Sparx…" she said, hopelessly. A tear came to her eye. "Do you think we'll ever find him?"

"Sheesh, not with that attitude we won't!" Sparx said. "Come on, he's got to be somewhere!"

"You're right again, Sparx. Let's go." She said, feeling a little better.

"Yes! That's twice in one day!" Sparx cheered.

As the two unlikely companions took off, they noticed a large sheet of clouds coming in from the west.

"Let's hope it doesn't rain." Sparx said. "I don't know about you, but for a little guy like me, every raindrop's like an asteroid!" He was right, though she said nothing. Flying in the rain would be difficult, so they could only search as long as the weather kept the way it was.

"Sparx, if you were Spyro, where would you go to from here?" Cynder asked, trying to approach the situation logically.

"An all-you-can-eat buffet?" Sparx said.

"No…well, alright, what's the closest thing to that you can find around here?" she asked.

"Hmm." Sparx pondered. "I don't know. Nothing looks appetizing to me around here. That is, unless you like eating rocks…"

"Give it a rest, Sparx." Cynder said. "This isn't a joke here. Don't you want to find Spyro?"

"…yes…" Sparx mumbled, remaining quiet as he followed Cynder around the foothills.

"Blaze!" Spyro shouted back at the large red dragon. "We can save time if we go around the hills. It won't take nearly as long!"

"I suppose you're right." Blaze shouted back. Spyro was ahead of the others by quite a distance. He couldn't wait to see Cynder back at the lodge.

The dragons spent all day flying above the forests and the barren former Ring of Fire, and Cynder and Sparx spent all day flying throughout the foothills to the south of Mount Malefor. The dragons made it to Warfang just as the sun set behind the hills and the rain began to downpour from the storm clouds which covered the sky.

"Cynder!" Sparx shouted, trying to dodge raindrops. "We've got to get to shelter! Now!"

"No!" Cynder shouted back. "We've got to find Spyro!"

"What? You're crazy!" Sparx said, heading for another cave at the base of a hill. Cynder could feel her wings getting soaked with water, sure she would not be able to fly for much longer.

"Wait for me!" Cynder cried, following Sparx into the cave.

The two unlikely companions sat at the mouth of the cave, looking out into the stormy black sky silently. The sound of raindrops was nearly a roar. However, a bright flash and a loud crack from the sky startled the two, making them jump.

"Did that lightning just strike the top of the hill we're in?" Cynder asked, sounding nervous.

"I sure hope not!" Sparx cried, hiding behind Cynder's head, peering out between her horns. The two could hear a faint rumbling noise, but it was getting louder. Soon, it was a deafening roar.

"What's happening?" Cynder shouted, but the roaring and rumbling was so loud, she couldn't even hear herself. They saw a pebble fall down from the roof of the mouth of the cave. A few more followed it. But, next, a huge boulder fell. More and more boulders fell, until the entire mouth of the cave was filled with rock, except for one small crack. Cynder could feel fragments of rock flying into the cave, many of which hit her. Some of the sharper, smaller ones stuck underneath her scales, while one very large rock fragment knocker her over. She cried out in pain.

"Aah! Cynder!" Sparx cried, seeing blood begin to pour from her wounds.

"Sparx, go…go out through the crack…to the city…and get help…" Cynder said, dazed from being hit. Without a word, Sparx raced through the small hole and out, into the night, as fast as he possibly could.

"Spyro!" Cyril exclaimed, waiting at the entrance to the lodge. "You've returned!"

"Yes, Cyril. And I'm sorry I got angry at you and ran out." Spyro said.

"Oh, Spyro, it's all just as well, as I have some explaining to do, you see." Cyril said.

"Actually, yes, I believe you do." Spyro said, just as the seven other dragons landed behind him in the street. Cyril walked silently towards Blaze.

"Cyril." Blaze said, coldly.

"Blaze." Cyril replied, just as coldly.

"You didn't expect to see me again?" Blaze asked.

"Quite the opposite. I dreaded that this moment would come, eventually." Cyril snorted.

"Oh. Well, what a shame, then, that Spyro found us, isn't it?" Blaze replied.

"Exactly who is, 'us'?" Cyril asked, pointing to the six younger dragons.

"These are Cyprin, Volta, Surgio, Gaia, Ember, and Flame." Blaze said, pointing to each dragon respectively. "Now, can we come inside, or shall we just sit out in the pouring rain all night?"

"Oh, but of course." Cyril said. "I'll have the Moles prepare your rooms." The convoy of dragons entered the building. Spyro walked up alongside Cyril.

"Cyril, what was all that about?" Spyro asked.

"Hmm?" Cyril asked. "What was what?"

"The way you were talking to Blaze. Did something happen between you two?" Spyro asked.

"I'll have to explain it all to you later, Spyro, but thanks for reminding me…" Cyril began. He turned to Blaze.

"Blaze, you seem to be traveling light this evening." Cyril noted.

"We didn't have any belongings out in the Great Southern Forest, Cyril." Blaze said.

"Oh dear. I'm not talking about belongings, I'm talking about numbers." Cyril said.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean." Blaze said. "This is all of us." Cyril drew in closer to Blaze, looking him straight in the eyes, barring his teeth, and saying,

"Then what, pray tell, happened to Glacia?"

"Glacia?" Blaze asked, barring his teeth as well in response to the hostility.

"Yes, Blaze. I sent you and Glacia out together with the eggs the night of the raid." Cyril said, his voice dangerously low.

"Oh, yes. She didn't make it outside the temple walls, I'm afraid. The Apes took her away before I could stop them. It was all thanks to your expert fighting, don't forget." Blaze said. A furious look appeared in Cyril's eyes.

"Stop, you two!" Spyro interrupted. "We don't need any fighting."

"Alright, Spyro." Cyril said. "Tell me, Blaze, where are Sparx and Cynder?"

"Sparx and Cynder?" Blaze said, confused. "I don't know anyone named Sparx, and we certainly didn't run into the terror of the skies."

"Wait, Cynder didn't find you, Spyro?" Cyril asked.

"Cynder was looking for me?" he asked. "Do we know where Cynder is?" Another bright flash occurred, and a loud crack echoed across the night sky. "She's out there?"

Just as Spyro said this, a glowing figure slipped in through one of the windows. Sparx had arrived.

"Spyro!" Sparx panted. "Buddy, the she-witch is trapped in a cave, out in the foothills."

"Cynder!" Spyro shouted. "I have to rescue her!" Without hesitation, he flew out the door, back into the night sky, faster than he had ever flown before. He had to go find Cynder.

Meanwhile, Cynder was still laying on the floor of the cave, her wounds still bleeding and her head was still reeling.

"Spy…Spyro…" she muttered dizzily. "Where are you?"

* * *

Another long chapter, this time packed with drama, and I'm liking it!

I've got to say, I'm pretty proud of how this story's turned out so far! I hope you like reading it as much as I liked writing it!

--L/M


	11. Finding

Speeding through the night sky, Spyro could not feel the howling wind or the pouring rain. He couldn't see the lightning spreading across the sky, and he couldn't hear the booming thunder. All of his mind was devoted to one thing: finding and saving Cynder. She was in danger, and he needed to get to her before anything bad happened.

Though he flew as fast as he possibly could, the journey to the foothills felt like an eternity. He had no time to dip down above the tree tops or soar between clouds. Even as lightning bolts came dangerously close to him, his straight path never faltered. He would do anything to reach her; he would die for her.

Eventually, he reached the hills. He darted between each hill searching for any sign of a cave covered in an avalanche.

"Cynder!" he cried over the roar of raindrops. "Cynder! Where are you?"

Cynder was laying on the cold, wet ground of the cave floor. Her wounds were still bleeding even now; they were severe, the rock having penetrated deep through her scales. The deafening roar of raindrops hitting stone outside the cave seemed to fill her ears, when she heard a faint cry.

"Huh?" she mumbled, dazed from being hit in the head, as well as blood loss. "Who…Wha?" Eventually, the cries became clearer.

"Cynder!" she heard. Someone was calling her name from far away, but she couldn't quite make out who. Once again, the voice became even clearer, sounding nearer.

"Cynder? Where are you?" she heard the voice. It was a familiar voice, one which softened her heart and made her smile. It was Spyro calling for her.

Though she was weak, she knew she would have to gain his attention. She summoned up what felt like the last of her strength, breathed in deep, and belted out in a blood-curdling roar,

"SPYRO!".

Spyro heard a reply. He looked down to where the sound seemed to come from, and saw a huge pile of boulders. In a heartbeat, he raced down to the pile, and began destroying as many as possible with his Earth Missile.

"Cynder!" he called. "Cynder, it's alright. Just hang on!" He was pulverizing huge boulders now, turning ten-ton stones into powder in a desperate race to reach Cynder. Eventually, he got down to what was certainly the largest, and the last, boulder. His Earth attacks were useless against it, merely chipping it.

He put himself on the side of the gargantuan stone, aligned himself properly, and pushed with all his might. Slowly, the huge ball of earth began to roll. As it gained momentum, the rock rolled out, exposing the mouth of the cave. Spyro rushed in, cradling Cynder in his arms.

"Cynder…" Spyro said. "It's alright. I've got you."

"Spy…Spyro?" she mumbled, opening her eyes a sliver. Everything seemed to be fading, and she could barely make out the purple face staring into her eyes with a comforting glare.

"Yes, Cynder. It's Spyro." he said quietly, nuzzling her gently. "Look, I've got to get these shards out of you before we get out of here, or you'll only get worse."

He counted ten shards wedged in her, deciding to start with the smallest ones.

"Cynder, this is going to hurt." he said, warning her. "A lot."

"Alright…" she mumbled. He decided to use a trick he learned from Flash and Nina, his adoptive dragonfly parents, when they would remove thorns he got stuck in his side. He slid his forepaw up to her open mouth, and pinched one of the stone shards with his other. He tugged the stone fragment out in one swift motion, Cynder biting down on his paw to muffle her cries of anguish.

Following suit for the other shards, he could tell he was bleeding from where Cynder was biting, but he knew he was merely experiencing a fraction of the pain she was feeling. After what felt like an eternity, all the shards were gone, lying bloodied on the floor, turning puddles a tint of red. To carry her, Spyro climbed onto her back, ignoring the sensation he was feeling from so much contact with her. He grabbed her underneath her arms, and took off into the night sky.

The last thing Cynder could remember feeling before she faded off was the two strong arms carrying her, and the muscles beneath Spyro's slick scales flexing every time he beat his wings.

Though he grew tired from carrying Cynder, Spyro flew on, determined to get Cynder back to safety, taking no concern for any feeling he had. Eventually, he could see the broken walls of Warfang appear over the dark horizon, and raced on towards safety. When he landed at the entrance of the lodge, only Cyril and Terrador awaited him inside the lobby. Spyro set Cynder down and carried her in over his shoulder, feeling her chest rise and fall on his back with every tired breath she took.

"Spyro!" Cyril cried. "Is she…alright?"

"Yes…" Spyro panted wearily. "She's hurt…but at least we're…safe." .

"Well, get some rest, Spyro." Terrador said. "Cyril, Blaze, and I have to talk to you tomorrow, but it's important you get some sleep now." Spyro began walking up the stairs to his room, the unconscious dragoness still over his shoulder. Everyone in the building seemed to be asleep already, so Spyro figured it was very late in the night.

When he reached his room, Spyro threw the sheets onto the floor and laid Cynder out on the bed. He examined her wounds. They had stopped bleeding, finally, but he could see just how deep the stone had penetrated. He ripped several lengths of fabric off of the sheets on the floor, licked each of the wounds clean with his long tongue, and wrapped the fabric around the wounds snugly. Once he was confident that the bandages were secure, he took a step back and examined the slumbering dragoness laying on his bed.

She was gorgeous, even in her current state. His dream he had the night before entered his mind as his eyes ran up and down her beautiful, curvy body, but he shook the thought out of his head as he laid down in the bed beside Cynder, snuggling up against her back. Covering the two of them with his wing, he drifted off into a deep sleep, comforted that the one he loved was safe, and with him at last.

* * *

A smaller chapter, but I felt it was approptiate to end the chapter where I did. I think that from here on out, there will be less "major" drama (i.e. avalanches) and more "minor" drama (i.e. typical relationship problems), as well as the long-awaited lemons! Just wait!

Thanks to all readers, reviewers, and favorite-adding-ers!

--L/M


	12. Morning

When Cynder woke up early in the morning, she seemed to wake up in stages. First, she realized that she was back in a room in the lodge, that it was sunny outside, and that she was safe. Next, she felt the dull pain of her many bruises and cuts ripple through her body when she tried to move, causing her to wince. She realized she was not in the room she had been allotted, because she could smell a musky, sweaty, heavy smell, which filled her nose and seemed to put her in a trance. She looked down to see her cuts covered in bandages, meaning she had been treated. Lastly, she could feel a large, breathing mass on her back, embracing her. She looked over to see Spyro, still asleep, laying right beside her. His wing was covering the two of them, and his arms were wrapped around her snugly. She sighed, in a perfect state of bliss despite her healing wounds.

Cynder considered waking up Spyro, but she enjoyed watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful, breathing slowly, making funny twitches occasionally. He muttered something in his sleep once or twice, but it was unintelligible. Still tired, she decided to try and fall back asleep, when she felt something else, an appendage pressing hard against her lower back. Assuming it was his tail, she moved her own tail over to it, and rubbed it with the blunt edge of her scythe-like tail tip. She could feel Spyro sigh a warm breath into the crook of her neck, and he snuggled in closer to her. His muscles were totally relaxed. Cynder enjoyed making Spyro feel this way, and she had a grin of naughty satisfaction on her face when she drifted back off into sleep, though she was unaware of exactly what she'd done.

Soon after, though, Hunter padded softly through the hallway, carefully as to not wake up anyone. When he reached Spyro's room, he pushed the door open slowly, and spoke in a low tone.

"Spyro, wake up." he was a tad shocked to see Spyro and Cynder laying together, but he was not at all surprised. He could tell that they loved each other. "Spyro!" he said, a tad louder. Spyro opened his eyes a sliver.

"Huh? What is it?" he mumbled, blinking. He saw Hunter standing in the doorway, but he was paying attention to the black beauty he held in his arms.

"Spyro, Cyril wants to see you." Hunter said. Spyro remembered how Cyril and Blaze had acted towards each other, and was hoping he would find out exactly why.

"Alright, just…" Spyro began. He felt the familiar weight at the base of his tail. "Just give me a moment."

"Okay." Hunter chuckled softly, closing the door. After a few moments, Spyro walked around the bed to where he could see Cynder's face. He leaned in close, and whispered,

"I love you.", planting a kiss on her cheek. He knew he would have to tell her when she was awake, and wanted to get any nervousness out of the way.

He walked out of the door, which the Moles must have replaced while Spyro was out after Terrador smashed it, and Hunter started to lead him down the hall. Spyro's claws clacked on the floor with every step.

"Try to step lightly." Hunter said softly. "The other dragons are sleeping on this floor." When the two reached Cyril's room on a lower floor, the Ice Guardian was waiting in the doorway.

"Come in, Spyro." Cyril said, closing the door as the purple dragon walked in. "Now, I'm sure you remember why you're here."

"Yeah." Spyro said. "Why were you and Blaze acting so strangely around each other? And who's Glacia?"

Cyril sighed. "As you know, I come from a long, pure line of the finest ice warriors." he began. "When I was young, probably about your age, I had met a dragoness, another pureblooded ice dragon. Her name was Glacia." his voice softened at her name. "I…I loved her, Spyro. We were friends for quite a while, and as we both progressed towards maturity, I knew I wanted her to be my mate."

"Then, Blaze and Ignitus came to the Temple. They had lived in Warfang as hatchlings, but arrived at the Temple when it was apparent that they were both very skilled warriors. Almost immediately, Glacia and Blaze got close. When I got chosen to be the next Ice Guardian, Glacia chose Blaze as her mate. I was heartbroken, Spyro. Eventually, the two left and returned to Warfang. I thought of her every day, and I still do."

"However, right before the night of the raid, they showed up with an egg." Cyril's tone became one of disgust. "The beautiful, pureblooded dragoness I knew had produced a mutt with that…that…" he stopped himself, and took a deep breath. "On the night of the raid, they were both still there. I told them to grab whatever eggs they could and get out of the temple. I had hoped and prayed that they had both made it to safety. But, apparently, the apes took Glacia and the eggs she was carrying. They smashed the eggs and…and…" he was struggling to retain his composure. "They killed her."

"Cyril…" Spyro said. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, young dragon." Cyril said, his head down. "It's in the past now."

"I still think you and Blaze should try and resolve your differences." Spyro said. "That's the way Glacia would have wanted it."

"You…you're right." Cyril said, brushing away a tear. Spyro walked out of the room, leaving Cyril with his head in his forepaws.

Back upstairs, he was just about to enter his room, when one of the many other doors opened. Spyro whipped his head around to see a pink paw come out the door, followed by another. Ember walked out, but when she spotted Spyro, she dashed over to him.

"Hey, Spyro!" she said, her voice dripping like honey. "What are you doing up this early?"

"I…Uh…I was just…" Spyro was caught off guard by Ember. Inside Spyro's room, Cynder woke up at the sound of Spyro's familiar voice. But she also heard another, not-so-familiar voice.

"You look tired, Spyro." the voice said, it's squeakiness making her want to grind her teeth. "Why don't you come in my room and rest?"

"No, Ember." she heard Spyro reply. "I'm all set, thanks."

"Once again…" the voice said. "The invitation is open, whenever you feel you're…ready." Cynder heard the doorknob begin to turn, and quickly pretended to go back to sleep.

"Hey, Cynder." Spyro said, gently rubbing the black dragoness's face. She blinked her eyes awake, and pretended to yawn, looking like she had just been woken up.

"Hi, Spyro." she said, her voice still soft with tiredness. "Good morning."

"Are you feeling any better?" Spyro asked, looking at her bandaged wounds.

"I guess so…" she muttered. "Did you put these bandages on?"

"Yes, I did, Cynder." Spyro said. "I needed to make sure the wounds wouldn't get infected. Why, are they too tight?"

"No, no, they're fine." she replied, looking into his eyes. It was cute how concerned he was about her, and she loved it. She loved him.

Spyro was looking back into her eyes. He cared about her so much, he didn't even know how to put it into words. But, he did have three words on his mind, and he really wanted to say them.

"Cynder, I…I…" Just as he was about to tell her, Terrador entered the room.

"Cynder!" the Earth Guardian exclaimed. "That's where you are! I'm glad to see you're alright, but you two certainly shouldn't be sharing a room."

"Sorry, Terrador." Spyro said.

"Spyro, can I talk to you about something?" Terrador asked.

"Sure." Spyro said.

"I mean, outside." Terrador said.

"Oh! Okay." Spyro followed Terrador out into the hallway

"Listen, Spyro, Flame told me that you two found the Dragon Temple in that valley you were in." Terrador said. "I also know about the scrolls you found there."

"Oh, yes, well, Flame was really the one who wanted to…" Spyro began, nervous.

"Look, I suppose it's for the best that you found them, but it's all the more reason I want you and Cynder in separate rooms from here on out. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do." Spyro said.

"Than that's all." Terrador said, walking off.

As he left, Terrador remembered that, chances were, he had no reason to worry. He and the other Guardians still had no idea if Cynder was fertile or not, but he could only hope that she was. He knew how much Spyro loved her, and he just didn't want anything to happen between the two quite this early in their lives.

"Cynder, are you sure you're okay?" Spyro asked, back in the room.

"Yes, Spyro, I'm fine. Really, I am." she assured him.

"Look, Cynder, I just want you to know that I'm sorry for running away from you. It's my fault you got hurt, and I should be the one suffering, not you. I was stupid, and I'm really, really sorry for it. Please forgive me." Spyro confessed.

"Oh, Spyro, stop." Cynder said, gazing lovingly into his deep purple eyes. "You've done so much for me, forgiven me for everything wrong I did, and you're asking me to forgive you?" she chuckled, the two of them gazing into each other's eyes silently for quite a time. They both had the same words burning in their minds.

"Cynder?" Spyro finally said.

"Yes?" she replied.

"I love you. I love you more than the whole world, more than the stars in the sky, more than life itself. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and no one else. I love you so much." he said. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Spyro, the hero, the legend, the dragon of her dreams, had just confessed his love to her.

"Spyro, I…I love you too." she said. "I love you more than anyone or anything in the world. I wouldn't possibly spend the rest of my life with anyone else but you. You're my hero, and I love you for everything that you are." These words touched Spyro's heart. He wasn't a fighting machine, he was loved, by the only dragoness he would ever want to be loved by.

The two lovers pressed their maws against each other's in a long, deep, passionate kiss, a whole swarm of new sensations and emotions rushing over them as they did. They were together, after so long. They were in love.

* * *

So, together at last...

Lemons should ensue in a short while.

No updates tomorrow; I'm out at SoulFest all day.

Thanks to the 200+ daily readers and 2+ daly reviewers! (I wish that number were bigger...)

--L/M


	13. Love

"Cynder?" Spyro said, looking into his lover's eyes, finally breaking their sweet, first kiss.

"Yes, Spyro?" she replied.

"I'm not sure if we should tell anyone about…about us, just yet." he said. "I'm not sure how the others would act, especially the Guardians."

"You're right." Cynder agreed. "It can just be our secret. For now at least."

"Yeah. And Cynder?" Spyro said. "Listen, I think we should promise to each other that we won't…mate until we're older. I don't think I could handle being a father while I'm still this young."

"I promise." Cynder said. "But it will be hard…"

"I know it will." Spyro sighed. It would be a test of integrity, but he knew it was for the best. Even if both of them were mature, he still didn't feel adult enough to raise a hatchling, and he wouldn't want to put Cynder through that whole process as well. "But, for now, let's do what we can."

The two began kissing once again, so passionately that small moans escaped both of their mouths. They had never thought it would feel so good to be in love, to be together finally. The two lovers' hands were exploring each other's bodies, further inducing moans of pleasure and satisfaction. Spyro had been able to contain the raging pressure at the base of his tail up until this point, but the sounds Cynder was making and her gentle paws caressing his scales pushed him over the edge. Afraid of how his lover would react to it but unable to stop it from happening, Spyro's dragonhood seemed to burst out of its sheath.

Cynder was in a state of ecstasy, her body rippling with pleasure as Spyro's tongue entered her mouth, a small moan escaping from hers. Her forepaws were gripping his broad shoulders, holding her as close to him as she could possibly be. However, she felt an intrusion in between her and her lover; there was something in between their stomachs, something long, hard, and warm. Usually, she would pay attention, but she wanted as much of her dragon as possible, so she pulled herself closer onto him, able to feel his breathing, heartbeat, and muscles in his chest. He, in return, leaned the two of them over on the bed, Spyro on top of her. As she pressed herself closer to him, a groan of satisfaction escaped his lips. She only noticed the object between them when she felt it pulse in sync with Spyro's heartbeat.

Gasping for air from their kissing, Cynder looked down at Spyro's waist to see his dragonhood, standing between the two.

"Spyro…" she said. "Is that…that your…?" Knowing she could see it, Spyro made no attempt to hide the erect member, but he hung his head in shame.

"Yes." Spyro said, shamefully. "Cynder, when you were talking to me the morning we both woke up, this…this happened, and I didn't want you to see it, so…that's why I ran. I was ashamed, and scared."

"Oh, Spyro…" Cynder said, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. "There's nothing to be ashamed of." She was quite right; actually; Spyro's vital organ was a very, very large one, larger than she had ever imagined it might be.

It dawned on her that, earlier in the morning, it was this organ that her tail was caressing. Remembering the effect that it had on him, she gripped the dragonhood in her forepaw and slowly pumped her paw up and down the member. Spyro's head tossed back, his mouth agape and eyes closed.

"Cy…Cynder…" he stammered, sheer ecstasy flowing through his veins. "That feels…so…so good…" A crooked grin of naughty satisfaction came across the black dragoness' face. She loved making him feel this way, exercising this kind of control over her lover. As she stroked the pulsing member, another idea popped into her head, one which she was sure would drive her dragon crazy.

She pulled her paw off of the member. Spyro wondered why she had stopped, and looked down to see what she was doing next. He was shocked to see her head going down onto his waist, the head of his dragonhood in her maw. The feeling of her warm mouth and wet tongue on his sensitive organ drove him to a pleasure he had never felt before, making him unable to stop the moans of sheer pleasure from escaping his throat. As Cynder lowered her head further onto Spyro's dragonhood, which only made his cries louder, she noticed the intoxicating, musky smell of Spyro's body, which was addictive and intoxicating to her. She came out of her trance, however, when she felt something between her legs.

Spyro's paw had slipped down to Cynder's womanhood, and was slowly rubbing the scales around the slit with one of his claws. She had never experienced the pleasure she was now, but Spyro was only getting started. He slipped a claw into the slit, Cynder's eyes widening at the sudden entry. As he moved his claws in and out of Cynder's most sensitive place, she too released muffled moans of pleasure. She could feel her warm juices dripping onto Spyro's hand, and she could taste his salty fluid coming from his member in her mouth. The two were in trances of extreme pleasure and pure bliss, each one at the other's mercy.

The two were so engulfed in their passionate lovemaking that they couldn't hear the booming footsteps of Terrador coming up the stairs and down the hallway. They didn't notice when the door handle began to turn. They did notice, however, when the Earth Guardian stuck his head in through the door and caught them in the heat of their actions.

"Aah!" Terrador shouted, shocked to see the two doing what they were doing. "Spyro! Cynder! That's quite enough!" The two froze completely, looking guiltily up at the large green dragon. Not wanting to see anymore, Terrador stood outside the doorway and said, "I want both of you downstairs, now!" He slammed the door shut, and left.

"That was…the best thing I've ever felt!" Spyro panted, short of breath.

"I know!" Cynder agreed. "We have to do that some more…later." Her tone was a seductive one. Spyro chuckled to himself.

"So much for keeping us a secret." he said. "Oh well. It was definitely worth getting caught."

"We might as well head downstairs." Cynder said. "We don't want to get into even more trouble, do we?" She began walking out of the room, but Spyro grabbed her by the shoulders, and whispered to her,

"I love you." She turned her head to kiss him, and replied,

"I love you too."

* * *

...A taste of what is yet to come...

SoulFest was great, but I'm happy to be out of the mud and rain and back at my laptop, learning to write a halfway-decent lemon!

Speaking of the quality of my lemon, please, give me some feedback! If this is bad, tell me, so I don't have it be that way for the rest of the story! Or, review and tell me that it's good! Or tell me anything! I won't bite! (Although, I can assure you, Spyro and Cynder certainly do bite, and will...)

Thanks for reading this far!

--L/M


	14. Plans

"Originally, I had called you all here to tell you that we will be helping the Moles be rebuilding the Dragon City." Terrador boomed, pacing across the front of the room. "However, another matter has come to my attention. From this point on, any dragons found in another's room will be punished. In addition, any dragons out of their rooms after sundown will be punished as well. Are there any questions?"

The young dragons and dragonesses shook their heads. Spyro was glad Terrador hadn't used any names, but he was still disappointed that he and Cynder wouldn't be able to do what they were doing earlier anymore. The other dragons looked gloomy as well, but he couldn't guess why.

"Anyways," the Earth Guardian continued. "Starting tomorrow, we'll be putting you all to work throughout the city. There are tasks throughout the city that the Moles can't do on their own, and they've asked that, in return for keeping us here, we help them rebuild the city."

"Why can't we just go back to the Dragon Temple, and not have to work?" Flame blurted out.

"Because these moles need our help, Flame." Terrador answered. "Any more smart comments?"

"…I thought it was a decent idea…" Flame grumbled.

"If that's all, then we'll be giving you your tasks tomorrow morning." Terrador summed up.

As the dragons left the room, Terrador stopped Cynder and Spyro before they could leave.

"I'm letting you two off with a warning." the green dragon told them. "I don't want to see, or hear, any of that anymore. Alright?"

"Yes, Terrador." Spyro said, shuffling off, with Cynder close behind him.

"Spyro…" Cynder said. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to just have to wait." Spyro said, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "I'm sure there'll be times we can do what we want."

"Alright." Cynder sighed. "But those times better be soon. I don't think I can stand to wait too long!"

"Wait long for what?" Sparx interrupted, suddenly appearing.

"Sparx!" Spyro exclaimed, caught off guard. "I hardly noticed you were gone! No wonder it was so peaceful around here…"

"Hey! I resent that!" Sparx huffed. "But the joke's on you, buddy. You're gonna have to build this city from the ground up, while I get to relax all day for the rest of my life!" Remembering the task ahead of them, Spyro realized something. The city was large enough that he and Cynder wouldn't always be under the watchful eyes of the Guardians, or even the other dragons. They would have time to themselves every day, without the constant threat of being interrupted. However, with all the free time Sparx had, Spyro knew his foster brother would probably end up annoying him all day.

"You know, Sparx, you can go back to the Swamps anytime you want to." Cynder reminded the small yellow pest.

"What? You think you can get rid of me that easy?" Sparx said, glaring at Cynder.

"Or, Sparx, you can go back to Tall Plains. The Atlawa liked you there, didn't they?" Spyro suggested.

"What?" Sparx exclaimed. "You too, buddy? You're trying to get rid of ol' Sparx too?" He glared back at Cynder. "Is she using some kind of evil mind trick on you?"

Spyro laughed, but Cynder answered for him, saying,

"No, Sparx. We're just saying, now that the world's saved, you can do whatever you like, and go wherever you want to."

"Oh, is that so?" Sparx retorted. "If anyone can go wherever they want, then why are you guys going to stay here and work your butts off rebuilding the city, huh?" The two dragons didn't know how to respond. "Whatever. You two just enjoy your manual labor, while I relax all day, alright?" Sparx finished, buzzing off.

"Sparx has a point, Cynder. We could just…leave." Spyro said. "We could live in the Dragon Temple, with the other dragons, and maybe…"

"Maybe what?" Cynder asked.

"…Maybe we could start a family…" Spyro said. Cynder gasped, and kissed the purple dragon, nuzzling tenderly into his neck.

"Oh, Spyro…" Cynder whispered. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that." A tear formed in her eye. "I'd love to, Spyro."

"We're still too young now, though." Spyro said. "But one day, we'll settle down and raise a family. I promise."

The tender embrace shared by the two dragons was broken when they heard light footsteps coming up the stairs. A pink dragoness appeared, walking up the stairs. Ember strutted right in between Spyro and Cynder and into her room, pushing Cynder aside as she did.

"I don't like that Ember…" Cynder huffed. "Why does she have such an attitude?"

"I really don't know why." Spyro said. "I don't know what Flame sees in her…"

"Spyro…" Cynder sighed. "It's going to be hard keeping us a secret. Even just now, Ember almost found us out."

"I know, Cynder." Spyro said. "But when we're working, there won't be any Guardians to watch us, and the others won't be interrupting us." Cynder grinned mischievously, her tail caressing the underside of Spyro's.

"Then we'll be able to finish what we started…" she said, seductively.

"Cynder, don't tempt me…" he replied, moving slightly away. "Or I'll have to finish now…" As he eyed the gorgeous, sexy body before him, and saw the lustful craving for passion in her eyes. He could see her tail wagging, anxious for Spyro to take her and make her his mate, but he had promised that they wouldn't take their passion that far. Still, though, what they had done earlier in the day had given him more pleasure than he had ever experienced in his life. He could feel a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his face; the stress of trying to hold himself back was too much to handle.

In a split second, Spyro made his move. He grabbed Cynder and pinned her up against the wall, their maws locking in a deep, passionate kiss. Their forepaws were gripping each other's waists, holding themselves as close together as possible. Soft gasps and moans escaped their mouths as they did.

"Spyro…" Cynder panted, gasping for air as she broke the kiss. "Let's take this back to my room, alright?" Spyro was more than happy to dash into Cynder's room, with the black dragoness quick to follow, closing the door with a flick of her tail.

* * *

Alright, don't think I'm skipping out on a semilemon; I'm just putting this up for now.

I typically don't do replies to anonymous reviews, but I feel like I have to for this one I just got now from Whocares.

Whocares, you sound like some burnt-out hippie mixed a college professor first of all. I don't think that the concept of the lemon is to leave purposeful vagueness. If I read a piece of fiction where the lemon isn't just the way I like it, then I stop reading. I am a descriptive person, and I like to be able to give the reader the same picture in their mind that I had when I wrote it. Obviously it will sound planned out (whatever that means!) since I am an author, and authors plan out what they're going to write. Also, while I hate to compare fiction to real life, it's not like Spyro and Cynder actually _had _sex. This isn't as much a "two bodies and minds uniting into one transcendental union" as it is a "two teenagers fooling around against the wishes of their guardians" moment. I can only hope that you can tell the difference. Also, once I get to the actual, full-blown lemon (which will probably end up being in the last chapter), I will probably not be as "spiritual" about the whole sex deal as you are, but I will be sure to try and incorporate the spiritual and psychological aspects of it into the story, to some extent. Thank you for reviewing, and I hope you continue reading.

*Rant over*

Thanks to anyone who's been reading!

--L/M


	15. Ember

Cynder had hardly made it into her room before Spyro pounced on her, pinning her to the floor with all four paws. She let out a squeal of surprise at being trapped, and, much to Spyro's amusement, struggled to wrestle her way on top of him. He grinned at the satisfaction of having her trapped, and vulnerable.

"Spyro…" Cynder purred. "I've never seen you like this before…" Without a word, Spyro silenced her with a long, deep kiss. Cynder grew curious as he began to move his kissing from her lips down to the crook of her neck. Spyro felt some strange instinct telling him what his next action would be. He began nipping the sensitive scales on her neck with his teeth, though he stopped immediately when Cynder cried out sharply.

"Cynder! Are you alright?" Spyro said, releasing her from his hold. His tone was worried. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me, and I…" Cynder raised a paw to his mouth to silence him.

"Spyro!" she laughed. "Enough! That wasn't a cry of pain, that was a cry of pleasure." His expression grew curious. "I liked it." she whispered to him. That was enough for him to hop back into position and resume his tender biting on the scales below her brace.

She loved how concerned he was as soon as she sounded like she was in pain. Spyro had stopped in the middle of their fun because he was worried she might be hurt. She realized that, no matter what would happen, Spyro would be looking out for her. She felt at ease, and secure, knowing that he would always be there.

Her train of thought was interrupted when she felt Spyro's nipping travel further down her body, traveling down the curves of her tender pink belly. She giggled, his biting tickling her underside. He stopped, however, when he reached between her hind legs. Instead of biting, she was taken with pleasant surprise to feel Spyro's long, soft tongue circle around her womanhood. When the pink flesh entered her slit, she gasped as she felt it lap up against her most sensitive places. She could see that Spyro was greedily lapping up her juices, enjoying himself quite a bit as his nose took in her sweet, fragrant aroma. As his tongue hit increasingly sensitive spots, her gasps turned into moans. She could feel the pleasure coursing through her veins, and a strong pressure seeming to build up deep inside her.

Spyro stopped, abruptly, which surprised Cynder. However, she could hear why. Footsteps were heard coming down the hallway. The Guardians were likely checking each room to make sure that no one was where they shouldn't be.

"Go!" Cynder whispered. "Get out the window, and head back to your room!"

"Alright." Spyro whispered back, planting one last kiss on her cheek. "I love you." As the purple dragon spread his wings and dashed out the window, Cynder gazed at him one last time, and whispered,

"I love you too."

Just as Spyro's tail disappeared from view, Cynder turned her head around to see the door open. Instead of seeing Terrador's, Volteer's, or Cyril's head peek in, she saw Ember rear her head in.

"Hello, Cynder." the pink dragoness said, her tone thick with bitterness. "Listen, I don't want to see you with Spyro at all, okay? He's mine, and if you think you can get your paws on that dragon, then you'd better think again." Before Cynder had a chance to argue, Ember turned around and shut the door.

Cynder growled to herself. Who did Ember think she was? If she only knew what her and Spyro had been through, and what they had done together, that would shut her up. Cynder knew she had just made an enemy. She opened the door, ready to fight, but she couldn't see the pink dragoness anywhere in the hallway. Taking a deep breath, Cynder tried to calm down. She knew Spyro wouldn't want her fighting anyone, so for his sake she tried to control herself.

Cynder walked over to Spyro's room, and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Spyro called out, expecting to see one of the Guardians. Instead, Cynder walked in.

"Cynder, where are the Guardians?" Spyro asked, confused.

"It turns out it was just Ember walking by." Cynder said, her voice sounding sickened at the name.

"What is with her?" Spyro asked. "She's obsessed with me!"

"Tell me about it…" she grumbled. "I wish I could knock that smug little attitude right off of her face…"

Spyro remembered the dream he had, where Cynder and a pink dragoness were fighting. He was astonished he hadn't realized it earlier; the pink dragoness was Ember! That only made him worry. He certainly didn't want that nightmare to come true.

"Cynder, please don't get in a fight with her." Spyro said. "I would hate to see you get hurt."

"But, Spyro…" Cynder said, her rage subsiding. "She thinks that she can just take you from me…"

"Cynder, you know that you're the only dragoness I'll ever love." he said, nuzzling her tenderly. "Please, remember that."

* * *

It's a short li'l chapter, but it's enough for now.

Can someone give me some ideas on how to incorporate the "Flame crushing on Ember" topic into the next chapter from where I am now?

Thanks to anyone who's read this far!

--L/M


	16. Work

The dragons had woken up early in the morning, not by their own accord but by the Moles. Today was their first day of work about the city. The dragons were scattered throughout the city, working alongside teams of Moles and Avalarians. Some were working out in the quarries to the north of the city, cutting blocks of sandstone, while others were using the blocks to repair the buildings and wall in the city itself.

By chance, it was Spyro, Cynder, Flame, and Ember who were working at the quarry. The moles atop the sandstone cliffs had drilled a series of holes in the top of the rock. When they were given a signal by the foreman, both Ember and Flame filled the holes with an explosive breath of fire, cracking the stone and sending it flying down towards the floor of the quarry. Before the huge, flying rock could smack the ground and shatter into a million pieces, Cynder blew a huge gust of wind to slow its decent, landing softly on the ground. Spyro would then crack the block using his Earth Missile attack into pieces small enough for the Mole's crane to pick up and drop in a place where they would be crafted and shaped into blocks.

Though their work was not particularly difficult physically, they all were uncomfortable from the hot sun; it was the Season of Fire, and the weather was hot and muggy. Also, the repetitive tasks they were performing got boring after a while, although no one but Spyro and Cynder could think of anything else they would be doing if they weren't working. Cynder and Spyro often snuck glances at each other, as if to share their secret through their eyes. Ember would occasionally glance down at Spyro, as did Flame at Ember. They tried their best to stay focused, however, waiting until they could get out of the sun and rest.

Shortly before sundown, which was the designated time that the dragons could leave, the stone blocks began to fall slightly further away than the crane could reach. Simply wishing to move the last blocks and go back to the lodge, Spyro dug under one of the cracked blocks with his claws, and pushed the chunk of stone over his head. Both Cynder's and Ember's heads turned to see the purple dragon, muscles bulging, standing on his hind legs, carrying the block over to where the crane could reach it. They could see the sweat pouring down his scales, and they could hear the strained grunt he made with each weighted step.

The mole foreman gave the signal for Flame and Ember to blast the rock, but Ember was very preoccupied with staring at Spyro. Not knowing this, Flame breathed into the final hole in the rock. Because Ember didn't breathe into her hole at the same time as Flame, the rock cracked unevenly, and Flame could see the crack in the rock spread quickly to behind where Ember was standing. She snapped out of her trance to feel the ground beneath her fall, and she panicked, letting out a scream. In a heartbeat, Flame jumped down from where he was standing and swooped up Ember in his arms, flying to safety.

By the time Cynder noticed the stone face plummeting directly above her, it was too late to keep it afloat with her Wind Breath. She cringed, bracing for a very painful impact. When Spyro turned around, time seemed to slow to nearly a stop. He threw the rock chunk he was carrying with brutal force, and dashed over to where Cynder was as fast as he possibly could. Just as the stone seemed to hit her, Spyro pushed her out of the way, the sandstone shattering a fraction of a second after Spyro made it to safety.

"Cynder!" Spyro said, cradling the unharmed Cynder in his arms. "You need to pay attention! You could have gotten killed!"

"I was paying attention….Just, to you, you know?" Cynder mumbled. She snuck a light kiss on his cheek, saying, "But I'm glad someone was paying attention."

"You know I'd never let anything happen to you." Spyro assured her.

Flame landed on the ground clumsily, Ember nearly spilling out of his arms before she hopped out of his grasp.

"Umm, thanks, Flame." she huffed, brushing herself off and walking towards Spyro. Flame sighed, eyeing her as she walked away. That was the closest they had ever been. He hated how she treated him like nothing,, but she still drove him crazy with love.

"Alright, that's quite enough." The mole foreman said to the four dragons. "You four can head back to your quarters. I'll expect you at the same place, same time, tomorrow morning, alright?"

"Alright." The four dragons said, flying off.

Though Spyro and Cynder flew back to the lodge, with Ember close behind them, Flame veered off silently in a different direction. He landed in a quiet part of the woods, right outside the city. He needed a place to think, alone. The scene from just seconds ago, with him saving Ember, and her walking off ungratefully, seemed to play over and over in his mind.

Walking through the forest, Flame thought of the earliest memory of Ember he could recall. He was probably only 4 or 5 years old, and they were out in the Great Southern Forest, their childhood home. Flame remembered that one day, he looked at Ember. Now, he had looked at her before, but this time, he saw her in a new light. She wasn't just another dragon. He saw her as beautiful, as gorgeous; he felt a way about her that he could never feel for anyone else.

He remembered that once, he had given her a bouquet of wildflowers that he had picked himself. But, she had just told him that they smelled like frogweed and tossed them aside. In fact, every memory Flame had of trying to be nice to or impress Ember always seemed to end with her ignoring him. Why couldn't she notice how he felt about her? He had always been too shy to actually say it, because he expected to get turned down, like usual.

Why did he still feel this way about her? Why couldn't he just realize that she didn't feel anything for him? He hated the way she treated him, but he still loved her so madly…Flame hunched himself over on a tree stump, crying out of confusion and pain.

"Where's Flame?" Spyro asked, the three dragons landing outside the lodge. "Ember, wasn't he right behind you?"

"I don't know, I wasn't paying attention!" she exclaimed, defensively.

"Well, one of us needs to go back and look for him." Both Spyro's and Cynder's eyes shot at Ember.

"What?" she exclaimed.

"Well, Ember, Flame did save you. The least you can do is find out where he is, or we'll all get in trouble."

"Fine, whatever. I don't see why you don't just make Cynder do it, though…" Ember grumbled, taking off back into the sky to look for Flame.

"Stupid dragon…" she muttered to herself. "Where are you?"

* * *

This is a heck of a lot longer than I thought it would be!

Thanks a ton to Unleash The Dragon Within You and Glacier-Eater for helping me out, and of course thanks to BloodSpawn, my persistant reviewer! And a thanks to all readers as well.

I'm too shy to tell him myself, but can everyone please tell The Meaningless to put the football down and write more of Challenge of Hearts? Please? It's my very first and very favorite story I've ever read on here!

--L/M


	17. Feelings

Soaring across the evening sky just as it turned to darkness, Ember flew low above the treetops of the forest outside Warfang's walls. She was thinking of Spyro, as usual, but she was also thinking of Flame, who she was sent out to search for. She remembered when she had first laid eyes on Spyro, only days ago, she had felt not what she had known love as, but a possessive lust; she felt as though she could not rest until she had him all to herself.

With Flame, however, she felt differently. She had grown up with him, and always noticed when he tried to impress her. Yes, she pretended to ignore him, but that was because she didn't know what to feel. She felt a strange sort of pity, knowing just how crazy he was for her. She had never really been able to appreciate just how nice he was to her, because she always dreamt that there was some better life out in the world, with some perfect dragon waiting for her there.

Noticing that the sky was getting darker by the second, Ember realized that she would have to find Flame fast if they were to make it back to the lodge without getting in trouble from the Guardians.

"Flame!" she called out into the forest, landing in a clearing surrounded by trees. "Where are you, you big dummy?"

Flame was still sitting hunched over on a tree stump, though he had stopped crying. He was considering how he could really tell Ember that he loved her. After all, he was madly in love with her, regardless of how she treated him. How could he let her know that without telling her? Maybe, he could fill her room with beautiful flowers and surprise her…He sighed as he remembered what happened last time he gave her flowers. What could possibly impress a girl like Ember?

Ember and Flame both were pacing through the forest, thinking confused thoughts about each other. Neither of them knew that they were walking towards each other, until Flame heard a nearby crunching of leaves. Instinctively, he dashed behind a tree, pressing himself up against the trunk to wait for whatever was walking to pass by. Flame had never really been in any battle before, but he was always very high-strung. He couldn't stop his heavy, panicked breathing, though.

As Ember walked, she thought she could hear breathing close by. She turned her head around, trying to find where it was coming from. All she could tell was that it was frighteningly close. She, too, had never come close to any fighting in her lifetime. However, her panic instincts took the best of her, and she was on guard.

Flame realized that he would have to move eventually. He slowly peeked his head around the tree, not knowing what to expect to see. When he saw the back of Ember, however, he was relieved. While she was still unaware of his presence, he figured, he might as well surprise her and have a little fun. Making sure to be as silent as possible, he crept up behind her.

By now, it was almost completely dark out. When Ember felt two paws go over her eyes, she attacked before the familiar voice had time to say, "Guess who?" Ember's tail and hind paws slammed into the stranger behind her, knocking them over. She tumbled over and pinned them to the ground with each paw. When her eyes adjusted, she could see the face of Flame, cringing in pain.

"Flame!" she huffed, still maintaining her grip. "Why did you sneak up on me?"

"Why did you whack me?" Flame groaned. "Ancestors, that hurts…"

Ember got off of him, both of them getting upright.

"Flame, listen…" Ember began. "Umm…Thanks for saving me today."

"It was nothing…" Flame said, his voice still pained.

"And, sorry about hitting you." She chuckled. "Come on, we need to get back to the lodge before the Guardians notice we're late!"

The two flew off into the dusk sky, Flame shortly behind Ember. He gazed at her outstretched, flying form, with the dark purple hue of the sky accenting her glossy, pink scales. The thought of Ember having pinned him down echoed throughout his mind as he looked at her. What could he do to get her to fall in love with him?

When the two landed, Terrador awaited them in front of the lodge.

"You two are late." the Earth Guardian boomed. "We told all of you to be here for sundown."

"Sorry, Terrador." Flame said. "It won't happen again."

"It had better not." Terrador said. "And you two better not have done anything you'll regret…"

"What, with him?" Ember exclaimed. "I wouldn't think of it." At this, Flame's look grew saddened, which Terrador noticed. Though Ember walked into the lodge, Terrador walked closer to Flame, understanding the situation between the two.

"Don't get discouraged, Flame." he spoke in a low tone. "You'll have your time. Don't worry."

"But all she cares about is Spyro and herself!" Flame exclaimed. Terrador wished he could tell the young dragon what he knew about Spyro, but he restrained himself.

"But, the question is, do you think Spyro cares about her?" Flame didn't really have an answer. "It's alright. Head up to your quarters, young dragon. You've had a long day."

* * *

Sorry the update is so late! Some of you may have noticed that the website itself was on the fritz, which is only half the story for me. I was kind of the "Suicide Hotline" for one of my friends all night long, and I had to wipe my entire hard drive on my computer because of stupid viruses! I had verry little time to write, but I think I pulled this off alright!

Also, I've been feeling kind of lost with this story. What do you people want to see in this story? How should it end? I need some ideas and creative energy, because I feel fresh out!

Lastly, I have a few words about songfics. Usually, all I see are songfics based on pop songs, R&B songs, or country songs. I've even seen power metal songfics. I'm not exactly a huge fan of any of those genres. So, when I found Luna345's songfic collection, "Spyro's Jukebox", I was certainly surprised to see Ozzy Osbourne and Pat Benatar, some of my favorite artists! I recommend this songfic to anyone who loves Spyro, Cynder, and good music!

Thanks to all!

--L/M


	18. Sneaking

Cynder laid on the bed in her room, gazing up at the moon and stars in the night sky. She was taken aback by just how much had happened in only the last few days. Her and Spyro had saved the world, expressed their love for one another, and done things Cynder didn't even know they could do. Her dreams of loving Spyro had been realized, and she was in a state of bliss whenever she thought about that, or about him.

She was certainly surprised to see the very purple dragon she was thinking of fly right through her window.

"Spyro!" she exclaimed, before she could remember to keep quiet. "What are you doing here?"

"We never got to finish what we started yesterday…" Spyro purred softly, coming closer to her. But, he stopped in his tracks, grinning. "Or, did you not want to finish?" he teased. Cynder knew what he was doing: he was playing hard-to get.

"Well then, Spyro, I guess you won't be having any fun this evening either!" Cynder said, getting off of the bed and walking in a slow circle around her purple lover, her tail rubbing up against the side of his hind leg. As Spyro felt his dragonhood rise to full attention, he tried to hold back a shudder when the blunt edge of her tail began stroking it. Though he struggled to keep his composure, he waited until the perfect moment to strike…

Seizing the opportunity, he pounced on Cynder, tackling her and landing on top of her. She was completely immobile; all of her paws were pinned down by Spyro's, and her mouth was pinned down in a deep, strong kiss. When they broke the kiss, catching their breaths, Spyro said,

"Cynder, we're going to have to keep quiet. The others are sleeping, and if the Guardians wake up and hear us, then…"

"…We'll be screwed." Cynder finished his sentence. Both of them saw the problem in the situation. If they made any noise at all, one of the Guardians would be sure to find them and punish them. What could they do?

Spyro sat down on his haunches, trying to think.

"Well, what is there to do?" he asked, whispering. Cynder was laying on her belly, her head in Spyro's lap. He was still deep in thought as he felt her head nudging closer to the scales between his legs. His train of thought was interrupted, however, when he felt her warm, soft tongue run up his member, making him release a shuddering gasp.

"Cynder!" he whispered. "You know that they'll…aah…mmm…hear us…" He trailed off into a purr of pleasure as she filled her maw with his dragonhood. "Maybe I should just stop talking right now…" he panted, his head thrown back. Feeling waves of pleasure course through his veins, Spyro tried to silence the cry he was about to make by biting down on his forepaw, but to no avail. The pain only mixed with his pleasure, and made his muffled cry louder. The bliss that he could feel pulse throughout his body gave him the idea he needed.

Spyro, willing himself to move despite the attention he was receiving from Cynder, positioned himself such that his head was between Cynder's legs, with the two dragons laying on their sides on the floor. She released a muffled gasp of surprising pleasure as she felt Spyro's tongue sent rippling waves of satisfaction through her veins. The two were locked in a trance of bliss.

However, in the small portion of Spyro's mind that wasn't overtaken with ecstasy, a clever idea dawned on him. He released a small, weak bolt of electricity out of his maw, through his tongue, and into Cynder's womanhood. In return, he heard a muffled cry of what he was positive was pleasure, which was confirmed by Cynder continuing her treatment on Spyro. A naughty grin of satisfaction sprawled across his face, and Spyro continued with his new trick.

The two lovers continued this for what seemed like an eternity, until they simply were too tired to continue. Not caring what would happen when they woke up, the two dragons fell asleep in each other's tender embrace beneath the sheets on the bed.

* * *

Forgive me for not updating earlier! I've been looking at other fanfics, specifically in the Spyro the Dragon, Calvin and Hobbes, and Pokemon categories. Also, I've been forming a band, doing summer work for school, shopping for supplies and clothes, working out, and looking at colleges. You could say I've been busy!

Anyways, this is short. But I kind of run out of material when it comes to lemons. A longer, non-lemon, story progression chapter should come out shortly, though!

Thanks for being paitent and kind to me! Continue to R&R!

--L/M


	19. Away

Spyro was the first to wake up the following day, the first thing his tired eyes gazing upon being Cynder, still curled up beneath the sheets. Though his muscles were tired from work and his tail base sore from not getting to finish the night before, the sight of Cynder's sleeping form plastered a toothy grin upon his face.

Unfortunately, he remembered that the both of them had work today. He also realized that he couldn't be seen in Cynder's room when the Guardians came to wake her up. Despite this, he longed to simply fall back asleep with Cynder in his arms, lying in peaceful slumber for at least a few more hours. Then, if he had his way, the two of them could finally finish their…fun from the day before.

Sparx's words from a few days ago popped into his mind as he mulled over what his ideal day would be like.

'If anyone can go wherever they want, then why are you guys going to stay here and work your butts off rebuilding the city, huh?" his annoying brother had told him. Though the dragonfly rarely had anything wise to say, that was one such occasion. Why didn't he and Cynder simply run off, to wherever they pleased?

As he concocted plans on where and how to run away, he heard Cynder's gentle stirrings slowly turn into a yawn of awakening.

"Good morning, love…" he purred, kissing her gently on the cheek as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Mmm, Spyro?" she mumbled, still half asleep. "Ugh, we have work today, don't we?" she grumbled.

"Unfortunately so." he sighed. "The Guardians will be here soon to wake us up, so I should probably leave…"

"But Spyro…" Cynder pouted, putting on the cutest face and tone she could. "I just want you to stay here, with me…" Obviously, her trick was working, as Spyro laid back down and started planting kisses from the base of her horns down her neck, making her giggle as his maw tickled her sensitive scales.

"Listen, Cynder," Spyro interrupted, catching her attention as the sensation suddenly stopped. "I was thinking about a way we could spend more time together, and get away from work, and the Guardians, and Ember, and all of them. Cynder grasped the idea before he could complete it.

"You want to run away?" She asked, Spyro nodding and grinning. "We should. Right now. Let's just get up and leave."

Spyro chuckled at her eagerness.

"Well, I wish it was that easy. The Guardians would send out search parties for us if they couldn't find us. And I still need to help Flame resolve his issues with Ember." Cynder looked back at him with pleading eyes. "Oh…I don't care about the rest of the world, as long as I have you, Cynder." He kissed her quickly on the lips. "I love you."

The two got out from under their sheets, stretched their wings, and flew out the window, Spyro chasing Cynder into the clear morning sky.

Meanwhile, the sound of rustling dragon wings outside his window made Flame jolt awake. His dreams were, as they always seemed to be, about none other than Ember. More recently, his dreams had been the ones which made him wake up each morning with his dragonhood at full attention, as he did on this morning.

Flame often felt guilty for having such fantasies about the pink dragoness, though he knew he could not help it. He felt it was a shame that he was woken up when he was, because his dreams were just getting to the good part…

Yesterday was the first time Ember had shown him any kindness, little though it was. Though it was nothing like the friendships Gaia and Surgio had, or Volta and Cyprin, and quite possibly the farthest thing away from the relationship that Spyro and Cynder had, Flame was content that there was a chance his dreams might come true, now that he and his secret love were actually on speaking terms.

Though Spyro was his friend, Flame knew that getting friendly with Ember would be a whole lot easier if he could get her away from the purple dragon. Her obsession with him wasn't as angering to him as it was shocking; he was downright scared at how obsessed she was with this dragon she had met only days ago. Nonetheless, he had hope that he might eventually be with the one he loved.

Estimating he had at least a few more minutes to sleep before the Guardians came to wake him up, Flame dozed off, hoping to fall back into his unprintable dreams about the beautiful dragoness his heart longed for…

* * *

I'm alive!

So sorry for having taken such a long break from writing; school and music have eaten up most of my time, and having the dreaded Swine Flu didn't help either!

Please, I need your advice on where to take this story! I honestly have no clue where I'm supposed to take it from the end of this chapter.

There's a poll on my profile that I'd love for anyone to take, it honestly takes less than a second to do, and I could use your votes!

I am so surprised that people still read and review this story, and to you, I say thanks a bunch!

--S/P


	20. History

"Missing?" Terrador cried. "They've both just gone?"

"As far as we can tell, yes." Hunter confirmed, shaking his head. "Do…do you think they were kidnapped?"

"No…" Terrador sighed. "I'm positive they've simply run off. To where, no one can be positive."

"But why?" the cheetah asked. "Why would they leave Warfang?" Hunter, apparently, had his doubts about the two dragons' disappearance.

"I know why. And I'm surprised you can't guess, Hunter." The cat raised an eyebrow. "Think about it. Two young dragons, obviously in love…"

"Say no more." Hunter blurted, blushing beneath his fur. "So, that being said, what should we do?"

"It's obvious the other dragons won't be of much use without Spyro and Cynder to help them." Terrador said. "So we might as well let the others sleep in, and get a day off. Tell the Moles that quarrying can wait a few days." As Hunter turned to leave Terrador's chamber, he was stopped. "And, Hunter, should you see any…romance between the other dragons," he explained. "Stop them. We don't need any more adolescent drama added to the problems we already have." Hunter left, to carry out the Guardian's instructions.

Terrador slumped over in his armchair, his head resting in his forepaws. He felt so cruel, stopping young, budding romances. Yet it was what needed to be done. If it was allowed to continue, soon all the dragons would leave. Right now, Warfang needed able-bodied workers, and as a Guardian it was Terrador's responsibility to provide what help he could. Growing older each day, though he tried to ignore it, the great green dragon couldn't bear to exert himself working. So he'd continue sending the others out to work.

Still, a part of his mind knew that there were greater tasks at hand. There needed to be another generation of dragons, and it was up to the 8 young ones to provide them. Spyro and Cynder seemed to have a head start on the ordeal, but Terrador couldn't help but be torn between pressing them to work and encouraging them to mate.

Perhaps the difficulty of the decision came from Terrador's past. He had grown up on the outskirts of Warfang, when numerous small villages peppered the landscape outside the once-great city walls. His parents had died from illness when he was only an adolescent, and as the oldest in his family left, he was left to take care of his 6 siblings. He had faced the pressures of excruciatingly hard work, ironically working at a quarry to build towers and buildings in Warfang. His motivation was his love for his brothers and sisters, his only family left in the world.

His hard work left him no time for friends, for romance, or for fun. Through his work, he became the most experienced Earth fighter that Warfang had ever seen. At one point, he had fought in underground elemental combat fights to bring home extra money. It was through his fighting that he gained the attention of the previous Guardians, who insisted on him training at the Temple. Though he stayed to provide for his family, once all 6 of his brothers and sisters had grown up and moved on, he finally decided to take up the still-standing offer of the Guardians, and left to train in the temple.

Terrador got up from his seat and walked to the window, gazing out at the remains of the city. The great city…What had gone wrong? How could Malefor, a single dragon, destroy such a magnificent centre of dragon life? The hundreds of thousands of dragons that once lived amongst these towers, walked in these streets…had they truly all perished? Surely, Terrador prayed, there must be more survivors. They couldn't have all died, could they? Or were he, the other Guardians, Blaze, and the 8 young ones the only ones left of their kind?

His family…the brothers and sisters he had expended every last drop of strength providing and caring for…were they truly gone? Did the only love in his life, his only passion, simply get wiped away in fire and darkness, like the countless other dragons dead? A tear shed from the great green dragon's eye as he looked out into the city, secretly hoping he could see his brothers and sisters in the streets below, grown up as he was.

"Somewhere…" he whispered to himself. "They're there. I know they are…"

In a great field between Avalar and Warfang, alongside the Avalar River's clear blue current, the two young dragons lay in each other's arms in the soft grass of the riverbank. They were sprawled lazily, simply soaking in the heat from the morning sun and each other's bodies.

"Hey, Cynder?" Spyro asked, his voice relaxed.

"Yeah?"

"I love you." It seemed those three words had some special ability: the ability to break hearts, to pull the world together, and to say so, so much more than the three words alone ever possibly could.

"I love you too." The black dragoness simply tucked her head tighter into the crook of Spyro's neck, their paws locked, tails intertwined, and hearts finally at rest, in love, and free.

* * *

To who ever is still reading this, does anyone have any clue how this should end? I feel like I've been rambling on with no plan whatsoever.

Please, review, suggest ideas, and say whatever you feel needs to be said!

Thanks for being a loyal reader, and for persevering through my laziness and lack of updates!

--S/P


	21. Spy

"Yuck." she grumbled to herself, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She hadn't bathed since she got to Warfang, and after a day of hard, sweaty work she was starting to feel downright gross. Not to mention, she was certainly grumpy about being awoken from her dreams about Spyro. As her sky blue eyes slowly adjusted to the daylight outside her window, it dawned on her that the sun was already rather high in the morning sky. Work must have started hours ago! Oh, she was sure she'd have hell to pay if she was late! She hopped out of bed, slammed the door open, and dashed down the hall.

Unfortunately, Cyril came striding up the stairs just as Ember came charging down them. With a crash, a tumble, and a blur of pink and blue, the two landed at the bottom of the stairwell.

"Ahem, young dragoness…" Cyril scolded, brushing himself off as he stood up. "Just where do you think you're going?"

"Er, I was late for work, and I just woke up, and…" Ember began stuttering, but she was cut off by the ice Guardian.

"Ha! Ember, I can assure you, the Moles wouldn't be so courteous as to allow you to sleep late on a work day! No, all of you have got the day off." he laughed.

"Oh. Why is that?" Ember asked, relieved but curious as to why they weren't working. Cyril opened his mouth, as if he was going to say something, but didn't. He wasn't supposed to tell any of the other young dragons that Spyro and Cynder had left, at Terrador's insistence, so he had to think on his feet.

"Um…The Moles are taking the stone you quarried yesterday, and using it to repair the pipes underground. Yes, fixing the sewer lines, and all that. Not quite a job for a dragoness, no?" Cyril said, sighing with relief at how realistic his response was.

"No, I don't think I'd want to go work underground. That sounds gross." Ember agreed, too tired to see through Cyril's creative lying. Although, it wasn't totally a lie; the Moles were taking the opportunity to start repairing the water, heating gas, and sewage lined throughout the city.

"That reminds me." Cyril said. "The water line to this building has been repaired. Which means the showers work now." Ember's face lit up. "They're on this floor you happened to knock us down onto, right down there." he pointed an ice blue claw down the hall. Just as the pink dragoness started to walk away, Cyril stopped her. "One more thing. Try not to run down any more hallways, alright?" he smiled wryly.

"Alright, I'll try." She strode off in the direction he had pointed.

She stopped at the open arch where warm steam was drifting out into the hall. Slowly walking in, she was greeted by the scent of cleanliness. The walls and floor of the chamber were tiled with beige stone, with a row of dripping brass showerheads and knobs lining the far wall, as well as shelves adorned with various soaps and oils. As she trod across the stone floor, she was startled to hear one of the showers turn on in the far corner of the room. Holding back a gasp, her head whipped around to see Flame through the thick cloud of steam, standing on his hind legs beneath the furthest showerhead.

Normally, she wouldn't care. The dragons had typically bathed together, although in most cases, the boys were separate from the girls, at the request of Blaze. Now, she felt panic, wondering if he had seen or heard her come in. While she yearned to get out before the red dragon could have the chance to spot her, some dominant part of her mind possessed her to get a better look before she left. Thinking herself crazy, Ember could nonetheless not stop tiptoeing closer and closer to the bathing dragon, under cover of steam.

Fortunately, she noticed as she got closer and closer, Flame's eyes were closed. He was lathering himself all over, massaging the soapy foam into his scales. Unknowingly, he was putting quite a show on for Ember. Since he was up on his hind legs, she could see every rope of muscle beneath his slick crimson scales, every shining, glossy ridge adorning his slender back. As his paws travelled downwards, so did Ember's eyes. Her eyes let no detail escape their gaze. A soft moan and a lick of fire escaped his maw as his massaging slowly brought his dragonhood to full attention.

Now, Ember had seen males…exposed before, but always by accident, and she never paid a great deal of attention to…it. But now, her sapphire eyes were transfixed upon the bulging organ protruding from Flame's tail base. He seemed to pay extra attention to his member as he cleaned his underbelly and tail. He was enjoying himself as much as she was enjoying watching him. Everything Ember saw seemed to occur in slow motion, the lather and water flowing down Flame's scales like a stream rippling over pebbles. Though it seemed like an eternity later, in a matter of minutes Flame seemed to be done, and before he could turn the knob off, Ember stealthily dashed out, and back to her room, whipping the door shut with her tail.

"Ugh…what was that?" she sighed to herself. She was terribly confused. Flame…well…he wasn't supposed to be…hot! What had happened to the dorky, awkward little fire drake she had known and grown up with? And wasn't _he_ supposed to be the one pining after _her_? Why did she feel compelled to secretly watch him? She shouldn't have to sink so low as to spy on him!

How could she focus on winning Spyro from Cynder when she was in such a complicated situation with Flame? Shame, confusion, and a constant flood of questions filled her mind, making her feel dizzy.

"Everything's become so complicated since we arrived here…" she muttered to herself, her head resting in her paws as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I just wish it wasn't so difficult..."

* * *

I rather dislike this chapter. Someone, toss me a heaping plate of harsh, blunt criticism!

I've begun to lay a foundation for the road to the end of this story. While I'm dreading having to write the 5-10 other chapters, especially the lemon-scented ones, so long as I have readers, they'll have a writer.

Since writing is a great way to procrastinate and not do schoolwork, you'll probably see more of me as of late!

Thanks a bunch for reading!

--S/P


	22. Market

The day was off to a good start so far. Flame had enjoyed his racy dreams, been allowed to sleep well into the morning, taken a nice, relaxing shower, and was presently walking around the streets of the city, enjoying the warmth of the midday sun. He had no clear destination, just a penchant for some fresh air.

How could he seduce Ember? Now that she actually recognized his existence, he would have to come up with some plan to get her even more interested. Various ideas formed in his head as he made his way through the city streets.

Preoccupied with his thinking, he hardly noticed that he had walked entirely across the city, and was now overlooking the reservoir at the city's edge. He took a seat, his feet resting in the cool, clear waters, as he continued to ponder in deep thought.

Meanwhile, Ember was out on a stroll through the streets as well. She was still trying to shake off the feelings she had from this morning. How had the awkward, annoying little dweeb of a drake that she once knew turn into the solemn, sensitive, sexy serpent that she spied in the showers? And why did she feel this way about him? She wanted to soothe herself by seeking Spyro, but alas, he was nowhere to be found. So she decided to clear her head by walking it off. She, too, could not keep track of where she was walking with her head filled with thoughts and images, so she wandered aimlessly through the city.

Outside the city, in an expansive meadow of long, soft grass, two dozing dragons began to awaken from their sun-induced slumber. Spyro and Cynder deserved rest after all their work yesterday, and a nice, refreshing nap seemed to do the trick. As Spyro slowly stretched his way awake and opened his amethyst eyes to the midday sun, his first action was to bury his head into Cynder's neck and nip at her smooth jaw line, his forepaws caressing her

Giggling, but still half-asleep, Cynder mumbled,

"Well, someone's in a good mood…"

"I'd hope that's a better awakening than the Guardians knocking on your door, right?" Spyro retorted.

"Aah, yes…" She sighed. "Now, we've still got a whole day ahead of us, what do you want to do?"

"Hmm. I really don't know. What about you?" Spyro asked, pulling away.

"Well, I've got some ideas…" Cynder purred, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

"Err, how about we save those for a rainy day…" Spyro stammered, shuddering as she leaned her head onto his chest and traced his scales with her claw.

A successful distraction occurred when Spyro's stomach growled audibly. It occurred to both of them that they hadn't had breakfast or lunch yet, and could definitely use some food.

"Where can we get some snacks?" Spyro asked hungrily.

"I remember hearing some Moles talking about how the Grand Bazaar would be re-opening today." Cynder remembered.

"There's two problems with that." Spyro said. "We don't have any cash, and if we're seen in the city, then the Moles would return us to the Guardians, and we'd have hell to pay for running away."

"Then we're caught in a dilemma." Cynder said.

After a few moments, Spyro's eyes lit up with an idea.

"Cynder, your Shadow Breath can make us both invisible, right?" He asked.

"Of course." She confirmed. "Why?"

"Think about it."

"You want us to steal food?"

"Yes, if you want to put it that way."

"You're so naughty…"

"I know…"

Cynder sat up on her haunches and breathed a fine mist of shadow over herself and Spyro, their forms seeming to melt away until they were totally invisible.

"You still there?" Spyro asked, disoriented as he became invisible.

"You think I'd leave you?"

"Never."

"Let's go."

The two dragons, totally unseen, flew up into the sky, soaring over the city walls and into the heart of Warfang.

They landed outside a jungle of canopied stands, mobile carts, and masses of Moles, Cheetahs, and Atlawas trading, peddling, buying, and dealing. It was a crowded mess of business, the bustling downtown of Warfang.

"How are we going to get through all that?" Cynder asked.

"Very stealthily, apparently…" Spyro said, contemplating the best plan of action. "It's going to be very hard to stick together, so let's split up, find the best of whatever we can, and meet up at the other side. Sound like a plan?"

"Sure. Now let's go!" Cynder spied an narrow opening between an Atlawa carrying a basket of fruit and a cart of spices being pushed by a Mole, and began to race her way through the crowd, darting between every obstacle. Spyro prepared himself, then dashed between two carts, snatching fresh poultry from one with his tail. Taking a sharp turn, he grabbed a few pawfuls of some exotic, tropical fruit before scampering off.

As he tried to snatch a few loafs of bread, he tripped over a Cheetah's foot and went flying, skidding right into a cart of melons. The cart appeared to tip over on its own, sending fruit rolling through the street. A Mole tripped over one, and fell face-first into a cage of chickens, which crashed open on the pavement, sending feathers flying and releasing a bunch of squawking birds into the crowd. One melon broke the wheel of a cart, sending a cloud of pepper over the crowds as the cart flew up into the air and crashed onto a display of ornate pottery.

Somehow, through all the commotion, both dragons ended up at their rendezvous, just as the Shadow Breath began to wear off.

"Spyro, did you cause all that?" Cynder asked, a nagging tone in her voice.

"It was an accident…" he mumbled.

As Ember was walking, she heard what sounded like a crowd of people screaming, birds squawking, carts crashing, pottery breaking, noses sneezing, and general chaos. Scared, and realizing she was lost in the maze of the city, she began to run, trying to get as far away from the noise as possible. She turned her head to see if anything was behind her when she tripped, tumbling and crashing into what felt like some kind of animal. Herself and the animal tumbled into what felt like water, eventually landing on her back in the shallow water with whatever she had crashed into pinning her down.

Opening her eyes and shaking her head, she was shocked to see Flame on top of her, both of them lying in a shallow part of the reservoir. They were both dripping wet from the cool water, and she couldn't help but notice each drop flowing over each polished scale that covered his bulging muscles.

It seemed Flame was the first to regain composure.

"A little anxious to see me, huh?" Flame asked.

"I…uh…I…" Ember stammered, still eyeing his chest hungrily. Flame didn't seem to notice as he got off her, obviously disgruntled.

"You what?" He asked, his tone sharp. "You decided it would be fun to push me into the water?" He coughed; he had accidentally swallowed quite a bit of water during all the commotion.

"No, Flame, I didn't mean to…" Ember began, regaining her composure as she sat up. Flame began to walk away.

"You didn't mean to drown me? Then what did you mean?" He lashed at her. "Ancestors, just as I thought you were beginning to be civil to me…Hmmph." He huffed, turning and dashing away.

"Flame, please! Wait!" She tried to follow him, slipping as she tried to stand on the smooth rock under the ankle-deep water. "I'm sorry!" She cried out, walking to the edge of the reservoir before she collapsed on the bank. "Flame…" she sobbed.

Flame was waiting behind the wall of a building a few yards from the bank, catching his breath. He could hear Ember sobbing a few yards away, which wrenched his heart and yet made him wonder. Why did she care about him so much? Why would she cry just because he was angry with her? He peeked his head around the corner to see her sobbing form, still soaking wet and crouched on the riverbank, her head on her knees.

This tore at his heartstrings more than he could bear. He made his way over to her, crouching next to her and wrapping a wing around her, pulling her in close.

"Shh, shh…I'm sorry for snapping at you like that." He tried to console her.

"It…it was an accident…"

"I know. I'm sorry for getting angry with you."

"I'm…I'm sorry for pushing you in. I should have looked where I was running."

"It's alright, I forgive you. Now come on, let's head back to the lodge." They began to walk back, his wing still wrapped around her snugly.

* * *

I'm alive! Again!

My writing's still a bit rusty, so forgive me for rambling on in this installment.

If anyone is still reading this, then thank you very much for sticking with me!

R's&R's are much appreciated.

Thanks a bunch!

--S/P


	23. Confession

"Alright, Ember, you have some explaining to do." They were back in Ember's room, sitting side by side on her bed, having flown in through the window to evade the Guardians' various policies about room entry. The two had walked back from the reservoir's edge mostly in silence.

"What do you mean?" Ember said, sounding clueless.

"I mean, a few days ago, you hardly paid me any attention. Now, you're crying because I lashed out at you. Why is that?" Flame certainly appreciated the attention from his crush, but he couldn't help but feel that her sudden change of heart was suspicious.

"I…I really don't know…" Ember mumbled, looking down at the floor. Even she was a bit surprised at her reaction earlier. Why did she feel all these strange emotions towards him now, ones that she never had before?

"Ember, I feel like there's something you aren't telling me." Flame stated, almost sounding disappointed.

In truth, he was having a hard time containing himself and keeping up this façade of a "big brother" role. He had never wanted to snap at her like he did earlier, but he had to in order to keep himself from seeming weak. It was as he walked through the city earlier in the morning that he realized he couldn't keep coming off desperate for her love. He hadn't given up pining after her, he had just rethought his battle plan. Of course, he was just thinking of what that battle plan would be when he was interrupted by a certain pink dragoness. Thus, his natural reaction was anger, and he simply went from there.

"Come on, Ember." he said, taking her paws in his, and holding them firmly, but gently. "We've grown up together, like brother and sister. I know we've never been too close, but like it or not, we've got to be friends. And friends don't let friends get all stressed out like this." he turned to her, his eyes locked on hers. "We are friends, right?"

She leaned her head onto his shoulder, eyes closing.

"Oh, Flame." she sighed, her voice sounding low and desperate. "That's a huge part of why I'm feeling this way. I guess I just don't know how I feel about you."

Flame sat with rigid posture, thinking over his next move. The dragoness of his dreams was lying on his shoulder, her paws held tight in his. He felt anguish for making her feel so sad. Nonetheless, he couldn't keep up this "friend" façade much longer. The young dragon could only hold back becoming visibly aroused for so much longer. He stifled a shudder, feeling her warm breath upon his neck. He could feel her heartbeat on his shoulder. It became clear what he had to do.

He put a claw up to her chin, pushing it gently until her aquamarine eyes met his ruby ones. His voice now a low growl of a whisper, he spoke,

"Well, let me help you decide." He leaned in slowly, kissing her lightly.

Ember was more confused than before. But it seemed she knew exactly what she wanted to do now. She leaned in further, pressing in to Flame's lips. An eternity later, she pulled back the slightest bit. running her tongue upon the scarlet lips that caressed hers. They opened, and the two dragons both leaned in for a deeper kiss.

Their tails met and intertwined as their paws began to explore each other's bodies. Ember's were gripping his bulging biceps, massaging each bulging rope of muscle. His were exploring her shoulders and curvy back, rubbing it tenderly. He worked out a knot, and felt her sigh into his mouth as her tension and apprehension melted away.

In the heat of their kiss, Flame had pushed Ember beneath him, such that she was lying on the bed, and Flame was atop her, his legs between hers. As he leaned into her chest, Ember was slightly surprised by something long, hard, and pulsing between their two abdomens. Flame had given up his fight to suppress the dragonhood when their lips first met, and now the member was at full attention.

Upon glancing down and seeing the engorged organ between the two of them, Ember allowed one of her paws to grope his broad chest muscles while the other traveled downwards to grasp his dragonhood. His paws began to make their way down her smooth, slender back, landing on her luscious hips after sliding over each polished scale. His claws tiptoed their way across her hip, and crept up the inside of her leg. She was nervous; he could feel her heartbeat quicken beneath him. He waited, not wanting to do something she wasn't ready for.

Without words, they parted their mouths just enough for Flame to give her a firm, reassuring look in the eyes. As he saw her answer in her gaze, he took no hesitation to dive back in for another kiss, while his claw began to trace circles around her opening. She moaned, just a slight bit, into his maw, as the claw spiraled slowly inwards, deeper into her womanhood.

He broke the kiss once more, to her surprise. He resumed, however, planting small kisses at the crook of her neck. She giggled as his lips and tongue tickled her as they traveled down her chin and neck. A moaning cry and lick of flame escaped her mouth when he bit where her neck met her shoulder. His mouth made its way down her curvy chest and toned tummy when he stopped. Up until now, Ember had been in a bit of a trance from all this new, vastly pleasurable stimulation. Now, she wondered why he stopped.

She didn't have much time to wonder, though, when she felt his long, hot tongue enter her womanhood, lapping greedily at the intoxicating juices whose scent drove the crimson dragon crazy with arousal. She couldn't help but let out whines and moans as the tongue continued to find its way deeper and deeper into her love tunnel.

She had time enough between the waves of ecstasy to open her eyes and see Flame, his maw buried between her legs, his tail wagging happily up in the air and his engorged dragonhood hanging between his legs. She was greatly enjoying her treatment, but couldn't help but want to give Flame some pleasure of his own. She snaked around, pivoting herself until she was face to face with the bulging scarlet organ.

Instinct took over. She slid the sensitive head into her mouth, wrapping her tongue around it. She could feel his body shudder over her. Slowly, she took more and more of the organ into her mouth, until her lips were at his base and its head was in her throat. Bobbing her head back and forth, she could hear Flame whimpering at the treatment.

She could still feel his tongue sending waves of pleasure racking throughout her body, and he was shuddering, grunting, and wincing as her tongue wrapped around his pulsing shaft. She could smell his sweat, and she tasted the salty juices leaking from his dragonhood. Her mind was swarmed with arousal, pleasure, and a new desire that dawned in her head. She removed the organ from her maw and sat upright, making Flame curious.

As he lifted his head, she pressed her nose against his, and shared the first words they had since all their passion had begun.

"Flame…" she purred, her eyelids heavy and her voice breathy. 'I want you to put this…" she traced the bulging head of his organ with a single claw. "In me…"

As soon as the words struck a chord in his brain, he snaked his body around hers limberly, until he was atop her, with his dragonhood ready to plunge into the opening before it.

"Are…are you sure about this?" Flame whispered, sounding almost nervous. His big, crimson eyes showed concern for her. She hesitated, but replied,

"Yes. I'm more sure about this than anything in my whole life." she whispered back.

He lowered his back, just barely entering her slit. He looked her in the eyes once more, and whispered,

"I love you." Their lips locked as he slowly but surely filled her with his pulsing dragonhood. He could feel her innocence burst as he drove onwards at a painfully slow pace. She cried out, but his paws and his lips held her tight, and made her feel secure. She did her best to stifle the cries, until at last, he was hilted in her love tunnel.

The pain was gone. Instead, an entirely new pleasure, one that wracked each nerve in her body, and flooded her mind completely. As he pulled out, she moaned, almost roaring as all but the tip was pulled out. He dove back in, setting a slow but steady and rising pace. As he drove his hips into hers, she saw that his eyes were closed, his brows knit, and his jaw disengaged as he sighed and crooned in pleasure.

Flame, well, he was in heaven. His dream, his crush, his secret love, was moaning with pleasure beneath him, her legs wrapped around the small of his back and her arms gripping his shoulders. What could better than their love, right here, right now? He never wanted this moment to end, and his last clear thought as his mind slipped into a mindless bliss was of how his dreams had finally come true.

His bliss, after what felt like centuries of mad, unbridled passion, could feel a slight pressure building at his tail's base. He knew what was coming, but was far too engrossed to care about the results. Ember, also, began to feel a rising sensation that started to fill her nerves with a shaking warmth. As if the pleasure she was already bathed in wasn't intense enough, the new sensation drove her senses to entirely new heights, becoming totally unbearable. She sank her claws into Flame's back, leaving deep stripes through his scales. The pain blended with his growing pleasure and drove him over the edge. He let out a roar as his seed flooded out into Ember's womanhood, filling it as he tremored atop her. Being filled with his hot juices drove her pleasure to the bursting point as a fiery heat flooded her entire body, her mind completely whited out with raw sensation.

Geysers of flame erupted out of both their mouths as a roar shook the beneath them. As soon as the sheer energy of climax left him, Flame collapsed on to the bed beside Ember. She burrowed her head into his neck, her paws draped over his chest. Breathing heavily and panting, he draped a wing over her, nuzzled her head tenderly, and whispered,

"I love you…" The two of them faded into the soundest sleep, together at last.

* * *

My first lemon...I feel dirty :D

Please go easy on me, I'm tired and it took a hella long time to write this.

Thanks for putting up with me! Continue to read and review!

--S/P


	24. Ocean

His eyes slid open. It was twilight, a murky darkness settling in the skies above him. The breeze rustled the leaves in the tree that his lover and he slept beneath, and slid over his scales, caressing him with its brisk touch. Gazing up into the hazy indigo skies, he could make out a few stars beginning to twinkle.

The summer heat allowed them to deem shelter unnecessary, and made their bed in the soft grass beneath the stars. These great fields, dotted with ancient trees, seemed to roll from Warfang's walls to the eastern horizon, expanding endlessly into the darkness.

He looked to his side to see Cynder buried in his side, wrapped beneath his wing snugly. As much as he wanted to stay beside her, as much as he wanted to kiss her and wrap himself around her tighter and fall back into sleep's grasp, he knew he had to sate his need for an evening stroll.

With the utmost precision and stealth, he slid his wing out from underneath her, making sure not to move her the slightest inch. She was so strong, but she looked so delicate when she slept, like a work of art, a statue of black porcelain. He rolled himself onto his feet, and silently jaunted off in no particular direction.

Staring at the slowly-rising crescent moon, Spyro reflected on his week thus far. He had saved the world. He had discovered his love for Cynder. He had discovered what could bee the last vestige of dragons left in the world. He had saved Cynder's life. He had ran away.

In a nutshell, it was an eventful week. But he savored the freedom he had now that his enemy was vanquished. For the first time in what felt like ages, he was able to walk through the fields and forests, simply thinking about nothing and everything at the same time. What pleased him even more was the black beauty awaiting him when sleep called him again. How on earth could life possibly be better than this?

He thought about his and Cynder's relationship. They started as enemies, then partners, then friends, and now…well, now, he didn't quite know what to call it. They hadn't technically mated, but they had certainly gone past the bounds of friendship. Although, with them being alone for so long, he wondered how long it would be until he caved in to Cynder's pressuring and they became mates. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was just that the two of them were obviously not ready to be parents, and he didn't want to put Cynder or himself through that until they were both ready.

But when would that be? They were still just kids, and still had a few years until they were both totally adults. He didn't think that either of them would be able to wait that long. How could the two of them be alone, out there in the wilderness, for years, without doing something they would regret? Not to mention, how would they survive? The summer was kind enough to them that they had no need for shelter, and an abundance of food and water, but what about when the seasons changed?

Though it certainly wasn't Dante's Freezer, faring a winter here would be brutal. It could get very cold and snowy, not to mention the torrential downpours in spring. Living outside wasn't exactly possible with the varying climates here. Even Blaze and the other dragons lived out of caves during the harder seasons, which these fields didn't offer to Spyro and Cynder.

Spyro determined it necessary to find some sort of shelter soon. They could, in theory, return to the lodge back with the Guardians, but he found that course of action to be one of the least desirable. They could live in the Dragon Temple, but he had no clue about the availability of food or water in that valley. He could seek residence with the Cheetahs in Avalar, or the Atlawa in Tall Plains, if they would allow it, but they might notify the Guardians of their whereabouts.

Even if they waited too long where they were, they could be found. No doubt the Guardians would send out search parties for them, and their current location wasn't exactly a good hiding spot. They would have to come up with some plan of action fast, before they were found and brought back unwillingly. Staying out here in the open, nearby, wasn't the best course of action.

Maybe, while the summer was still here, they could explore, find new places, new people, beyond where they had traveled before. Eventually, they would find a place to call home. If they didn't, then they'd return to the Guardians and seek forgiveness. They could leave tomorrow, and start their journey going to the east, away from the Mountain of Malefor, and towards the ocean.

The ocean. Spyro had grown up in the swamps, and journeyed far and wide on his missions. Nonetheless, he had never seen the ocean before, and was curious as to what it looked like. He knew, from maps in the Temple, that the ocean lay to the far east, and he had dreamed of visiting it after defeating Malefor. Now, he could, and he could bring Cynder with him.

By now, his walk had taken him in a full loop, and he could see the tree where Cynder lie sleeping. Yawning, he tiptoed his way next to her, and silently lay himself down next to her, the ground still warm. He wrapped his wing over her, and pulled himself in closer, nuzzling her neck and kissing her before falling back into sleep. Tomorrow, their journey would begin.

* * *

Sorry about the short, under 1K chapter.

I think this helps me set the stage for the end. I still have to:

-Resolve the situation with Terrador's family

-Pair up the other secondary dragons (Volta, Surgio, Cyprin, and Gaia)

-Resolve Cynder's possible infertility

-Resolve Ember's possible pregnancy

And, last but not least...

-Have Spyro and Cynder mate!

Please continue to read and review; I can't make this story better unless you give me criticism!

Thanks a bunch,

--S/P.


	25. Maps

"We have to tell them something."

"Ugh, I suppose you're right." Terrador sighed, his head in his paws. Cyril was right, they couldn't keep the young ones in the dark much longer about Spyro and Cynder. They couldn't resume work on the quarry without them, and plus, those two were still were the Guardians' responsibility. The others had probably already noticed that the two were gone, and he was bound to get questions today.

"Tell Prowlus to send out search parties." Terrador decided.

"You haven't sent out search parties yet?" Cyril asked, assuming he already would have.

"Well, I assumed that they'd be back before today. I didn't expect them to be gone for more than a day." he confessed.

"Fine, I'll alert the Cheetahs, but we still need to tell something to the young ones." Cyril reminded him. "And the Moles too, they'll want a reason that they can't complete their work."

Terrador pondered, and eventually had an idea.

"We'll tell them that Spyro and Cynder are off on an important mission." he said. "They're off fighting the remaining apes that are wandering about. They'll believe that, right?"

"It should work. I'll go tell Volteer the plan."

"Alright." The ice Guardian left the room, leaving Terrador by himself.

Normally, he would have been firm in his rules and sent out search parties as soon as the two were discovered as missing, but he was still melancholy with reminiscence. Memories of this city, once grand, bustling with dragons, including his own family…could there be a hope of restoring Warfang? Not just its buildings, but its population too?

He got up from his chair and inspected a map on the wall. To the west of Warfang was the Burned Lands and Mount Malefor, and further out was Munitions Forge and the Chronicler's Isle. To the north was Avalar, Twilight Falls, and the Catacombs, and much further was Dante's Freezer. To the south was Tall Plains, the Ancient Grove, and the Great Southern Forest, and to the east was the ocean.

Somewhere, he thought, in this huge continent, there had to be more dragons. Hiding, maybe? Or lost? There was no way that the 3 remaining Guardians, Blaze, and the 8 young ones were the only ones left. The odds were too low. The land was too big. There had to be more, somewhere, anywhere.

"Where exactly are we going, again?" Cynder asked, her and Spyro flying high in the sky towards the morning sun in the east.

"At the mouth of the Avalar River is a big city, called Beauport. It's a Cheetah city, nestled into a great, sandy bay. It was one of the only places that…er…" Spyro didn't know how to finish.

Hunter had told him about Beauport on their long trek from Avalar to Warfang. Years ago, when Spyro was a young child, Cynder had led her armies on a march towards the ocean. They had unsuccessfully tried to take Warfang, but continued to move on to Beauport. A bloody battle took place outside the city's walls, but in the end, Cynder's armies were forced to retreat. The fatalities were numerous on both sides.

Cynder knew what he was hesitating to say. She silently sunk and landed on the ground with Spyro close behind her.

"Cyn, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up." he tried to comfort her, pulling in closer to her. She pulled away, not making eye contact with him.

"Not a day goes by…" she murmured. "When I'm not reminded of my past. The memories will always haunt me…what I've seen…what I've done."

He could see a tear forming in the corner of her eye as she turned her back to him.

"And it's not just my past, either. The darkness that Malefor tapped to use me against you when we were in the final battle…It will always be inside me. It'll be a part of me forever."

Spyro refused to let her feel like this. He came up behind her, wiped her tears away with his paw, and embraced her tightly with his wing.

"Shh…" he purred gently. "Stop. Cynder, you're a heroine, and you were just as much a part in defeating Malefor as I was. We saved this world together. You're not evil, and you never will be."

"But, just look at me. My scales are still black. Even if he is gone, I'll always be marked as his servant, cursed inside and out."

"Cynder, whatever happens, whatever darkness might try to influence you or change you, I'll be there to fight for you. I wouldn't dare let anything happen to you, because I love you, for who you are, now and forever."

She silently nuzzled into his arm, her tears subsiding.

"Cynder, if you don't want to go back there, we don't have to." he assured her.

"No, no. I think a few days at the beach will help me clear my head." she smiled back at him.

"Thank you. Just know that if anyone gives you a hard time, I'll take care of them, alright?" he asked her.

"I love you, Spyro."

"I love you too, Cynder."

Meanwhile, Ember opened his eyes as the morning light began to flood her room. She nodded her head to see a sleeping scarlet Adonis, sprawled out on her sweat-stained sheets. He looked silly, sexy, and sleepy all at once, and as much as she wanted to let sleeping hunks lie, she had to wake him up before the Guardians came in and found this scene.

"Wake up, you." she whispered playfully in his ear, nudging him slightly. He simply stirred slightly, unintelligible mumbling escaping his open maw. "Come on, you stupid dragon, we don't wanna get caught!" His eyes still closed, he smiled, and purred,

"I think I need some encouragement to get out of bed today…"

It took her a second to understand what he meant, but she caught on, and a devilish grin scrawled across her face. Like a spider, she crawled over the bed until her dainty form was perched on top of his. Before he could even say a word, she plunged her mouth into his, their lips meeting and tongues dancing as they had the night before. Her hands traveled across his chest, giving soothing attention to each and every sore muscle.

"Mmm…" Flame sighed, as Ember pulled away briefly. "This morning just got better."

"Alright, mister, come on. You're awake, now get out of here before someone walks in!" she scolded jokingly.

"Fine, fine." he stretched his tired limbs and slid off the bed, trotting towards the window. He stopped suddenly.

"Meet me in the showers later." He said, turning to her, kissing her on the lips quickly, and flying out the window.

* * *

A little bit longer, and I'm actually starting to plan out the end of this thing.

Thanks for the reviews! Keep em coming!

--S/P.


	26. Flight

Clouds soared beneath their wings. Staying high above the soft white cushions, the two dragons had to keep unseen until they were a safe distance from the city, where Guardians or their Moles and Cheetahs could spy them. Now, even from the highest towers in the city, they would have appeared as a black and purple streak, zipping side by side between the clouds and glistening in the morning light.

They were traveling into the sun, towards the Eastern Ocean, and the great city of Beauport that was seated upon its coast. It was still so early in the Season of Fire, but the air was hot these past few days, and the sun rose early. Heavy drafts and thermals gave the dragons relief from the morning heat.

The Cheetahs of Beauport, likely spiteful from the earlier days of the war, might persecute Cynder for her past deeds. Likewise, Spyro might be persecuted, as purple dragons, once revered as legendary, now were associated with Malefor and his works. Spyro pondered all this as he danced through the air, alongside Cynder.

"You're the one who looked at the maps." Cynder interrupted the silence. "How long do you think it'll take to get here?"

"At the pace we're going? Maybe tomorrow morning, if we sleep tonight." he estimated.

"Then let's kick it up a notch, and we'll make it there by midnight." she replied, a mischievous idea entering her mind and scrawling across her face. "Or are you too slow for it?" She rocketed forwards.

He saw the teasing glance in her eyes, looking back at him from far ahead.

"Who're you calling slow?" he muttered under his breath, preparing to race ahead of her. He tucked his wings inward, and pulled far ahead of his competitor, his lover, his friend.

Meanwhile, Ember was soaking in the hot torrents of the shower, not only to pass the time until Flame met up with her, but also to get last night's sweat and sex out of her scales. When the water first began to pour over her, she was anxiously awaiting Flame's arrival, but now, she was content and relaxed, soaping up as the heat and steam relaxed her completely.

The events of yesterday's evening played back through her mind. Flame had said that he'd help her decide how she felt about him, and he had lived up to that promise. But she still was so confused. One day, they're hardly friends. Now, they were mates. Forever. They had told each other that they loved them. It seemed impossible, loving Flame so easily...But it was true, and she loved it.

A slight scampering sound, hardly audible, cut through her blur of relaxation, but she barely registered it. She didn't see the scarlet silhouette creeping slowly towards her through the clouds of steam. As it approached closer and closer, the sound of heavy breaths caught her attention.

"...eh?" she muttered, turning her head to try and see where the breathing came from. She was too late. Paws drove through the steam, grabbed her by the waist, and pinned her roughly against the wall, her chest to the tile.

Flame explored the back of her neck with his teeth and lips, while his paws groped down her hips and butt. His tail yanked hers out of the way. She was surprised to say the least, but not quite frightened. She had been expecting him, and this was certainly a new kind of arrival.

"Flame..." she cried out.

"Shh..." he loosened his various holds on her, his voice letting up. "If you're uncomfortable, just let me know, alright?"

"Okay..." she purred, a stifled moan escaping as she was re-pinned against the wall, the familiar head of Flame's pulsing organ dancing around her ready slit. He drove in, steady, and a little faster than last time. She winced at the still-new feeling of being mated, but as he got in to the hilt, she felt that familiar ecstasy.

He didn't take the time to start slow. His medium starting pace made her gasp, and Flame crooked his neck closer to her ear, to purr,

"I love you."

"Mrr...I love you too!" Ember panted back.

"Well, the Moles think those two are off on a mission. The Cheetahs are out looking for them." Cyril announced.

"Speaking of which..." Prowlus said as he entered the room. "...We have important news."

"Of what?" Cyril asked. "Have you found them?"

"No, we haven't found of a trace of them. But a few of our scouts were up on a ridge to the north of the city, and they saw what appeared to be the formation of a Grublin army.

"What?" Terrador shouted.

"There seemed to be quite a few, maybe two thousand Grublins, organized in ranks, under the order of a few dozen apes. They looked to have marched from the mountains further north, in the direction of Warfang."

"How far away from the city are they?" Cyril asked.

"About a week, maybe less."

"It's no longer wise nor safe to keep the dragons here. We have to move." Terrador said. "None of us are in fighting condition. Two thousand Grublins is not an easy force to rival with four old dragons like ourselves and the remaining six young ones, even with the assistance of the Cheetahs and the Moles."

"So we're going to abandon the city?" Volteer asked. "How will the Moles sustain the city, in its preexisting state of disrepair, against yet another hostile invasion?"

"Train the young dragons." Blaze boomed.

Much to the chagrin of Cyril, Blaze had been invited to attend the Guardians' informal meetings, not only to substitute Ignitus, but as caretaker of the 6 dragons.

"I mean, I've done my best to keep my dragons in shape, and Spyro and Cynder are certainly the best fighters I've seen in ages." The crimson dragon continued. "But they all have more to learn. As Guardians, you should be training them the way we were trained by the previous Guardians, and our fathers, and so on."

Terrador mulled Blaze's idea over. Before he could talk, though, Cyril interrupted.

"What does that have to do with the situation at hand? And where on earth would we train them?"

Cyril had told Spyro that he would try to resolve his differences with Blaze, but he was far too stubborn to try and apply his words.

Blaze continued. "We'll train them to fight, and bring them back to save Warfang and fight the Grublins. I'd say, looking from the outside, that the Dragon Temple is probably two-thirds functional. I remember exactly how to get back there. What's stopping us from relocating and training them there?" Blaze said.

"We'll consider it a viable option." Terrador agreed. "But for now, we have dragons probably waking up." The meeting was adjourned, the dragons filing out into the halls.

Flame and Ember were just finishing washing each other, tired and still panting from their vigorous lovemaking.

"What on earth gave you the idea to do all that, Flame?" Ember asked, half-angry, half-curious.

"Well...I suppose I had been thinking about it, but really..." he trailed off.

"Yeah?"

"I was just horny." He admitted, a big toothy grin on his maw.

Spyro and Cynder had dipped below the clouds, a safe distance away from anywhere they had been before. They were still racing, plains blurring into forest as the two zoomed past landscapes.

"Can we take a break?" Cynder shouted, barely behind Spyro.

"Tired already?" Spyro gloated, smirking back.

"You wish! Just want to get a quick drink, is all." She defended. The two dipped down to a rushing river's bank, landing side by side.

"Does this mean I win?" Spyro asked. Cynder splashed a pawful of icy water at his face.

* * *

I'm back, I'm writing, and I know how it's gonna end!

Thanks for reading, keep reviewing, and message me any time!

Much love,

-SP


	27. Guardians

"What did you tell them?" Hunter asked. The Cheetah might not have known the dragons for long, but he was almost considered a member of the Guardians' informal council.

"Well, I basically gave them another day off. We need to act soon." Terrador replied, sitting down in the chair in his room. "Before the Grublins attack."

"And about Spyro and Cynder?" Hunter continued.

"I'll tell them tomorrow. But we need to reach a decision today." the green dragon sighed. "Training the dragons is the best plan I've heard so far, but I don't know if I want to go all the way out to the Dragon Temple."

"Why not?" Hunter asked, curiously.

"I...I don't know. A feeling, I guess." Terrador thought.

"I'm going to go see what the other Guardians think." Hunter got up and left silently, the door closing behind him.

Alone, Terrador shut his eyes and breathed deeply. He knew they couldn't stay in Warfang; it was far too dangerous with the impending invasion at hand. But why didn't he want to leave the city? Because he thought there was a glimmer of hope. Hope that coming back to Warfang would bring back his family. His life before Guardianship. He still remembered the day he received a letter from the Dragon Temple, signed by the Earth Guardian Galetor, asking him to leave his family and become a student. He was sixteen, and his brothers and sisters might have reached maturity, but he still wanted to stay with them.

It would have been discourteous to turn down the offer. Unlike most Guardians, who selected an apprentice out of the student body at the Temple, Galetor had gone undercover and patrolled the underground fighting circuit, which he too was once a member of, when he could find no suitable candidates at the Temple. Terrador stood out as the finest fighter. He packed up his few belongings, and flew one night to the Temple, arriving one morning as classes began.

He proved his worth in class, though he appeared to be a stranger to his classmates. Nonetheless, he earned the respect of Galetor not only through his awesome fighting, but through his devotion to his studies and his passion for his very element. Galetor knew he had made a great choice, and trained Terrador outside of class in private.

Terrador only knew his own parents for a short while, and it had been a long time since anyone was in charge of him. He was reluctant to be trained by Galetor, but in the end the two bonded a great deal. Unlike the many Earth dragons who believed in having heads and hearts of stone, Galetor had a different philosophy.

"Sometimes, it is necessary to be a rock." he would say. "A rock can defend, protect, and shelter. But only in soft earth can the seeds of life grow."

"What do you mean, the seeds of life?" the young Terrador asked his master.

"Love, wisdom, and happiness can only grow in fertile soil, not barren waste." he'd reply.

When it came time for the next generation of Guardians to be chosen, no one was surprised that Galetor named his favorite student as his successor. Terrador was still very young, and yet he had to take on all the responsibilities of his master. He was at the top, carrying many responsibilities and training thousands of young dragons. Many of his students were older than himself, and had also pined for the position of Guardian. Those students made his life miserable, constantly harassing him, challenging him, and even attacking him. He always won the fights, but emotionally he was suffocating.

One day, he was storing the dummies in their holds after a class, when a dragon approached him from behind.

"Hey, runt." called Gaius. He was a head taller than Terrador, two years older, and equally as strong in fighting. Gaius was generally the ringleader of his harassers, and he coveted the Guardianship more than anyone else.

"What now?" Terrador sighed, not turning around to acknowledge him.

"I just thought you should know that, the moment you slip up the tiniest bit, we're going to eat you up like wolves."

"I already knew that."

"Just thought I should remind you." Gaius smirked. Terrador turned around swiftly and slammed his fist into the larger dragon's maw, sending a mist of spit and blood out.

"I just thought you should know that, the moment you piss me off, I'll kick your ass out of the Temple and kill you then and there." he stated, coldly.

He quickly realized he couldn't be a tender and kind master like Galetor was. He had to establish superiority by being stern, fierce, and terrifying. The threat of being overtaken waned as he got older and stronger, and but he maintained a stony personality and a reputation as a hard teacher. He had forgotten Galetor's philosophy, and had become stone-cold before any seeds of life could grow. His only passions were teaching, training, and fighting, and his only close companion was Ignitus.

What was left of his life now? His family, his master, his one closest companion, were all dead. He felt he had to get back into training dragons for his life to have a purpose anymore. After all, hadn't he traded everything to train them? Wasn't that what he agreed to when he left home that one night?

Was it worth it?

Hunter padded down the hallway into Cyril's room, knocking on the door first.

"Terrador says you all need to decide today." He announced. "And that we'll tell the dragons tomorrow."

"Well, no need to rush things. But I suppose he's right." Cyril admitted. "We have to decide soon enough, before the Grublins come."

"Also, he plans on telling the dragons what Spyro and Cynder are supposedly doing, and he could use your creative input."

"Alright, we'll come up with some kind of story soon enough."

The Cheetah left wordlessly.

"What are those two thinking?" the ice dragon spat. He knew they ran off to elope and be in love. He knew young love always failed. He knew from firsthand experience. And he blamed his own love's failure on Blaze. Sure, he had told Spyro that he would try and resolve his differences with Blaze, but it was much easier said than done. Their relationship went back further than the young dragon could understand, and was more complicated than he had told Spyro.

Cyril was sent to the Dragon Temple by his parents at age six, the youngest age permitted to join. He hardly saw his parents for the majority of his childhood at the Temple, but he knew they were tough, strict, and difficult to please. He tried his very hardest while he trained and learned, striving to please his parents and live up to his heritage as an ice dragon.

Nonetheless, he and his parents drifted away further, and Cyril became totally engrossed in training. He excelled in his element, approaching the top of his class as the years blurred together. It became less motivated by his urge to please his parents, and more by his urge to keep from thinking about them. He had few friends, very little emotional bonds with his teachers, and tried to make as little contact with his parents as possible.

One day, when he was twelve, Glacia showed up. She, too, was a full-blooded ice dragoness, but her personality contrasted with Cyril's. She was happy, social, and sparkled with a glimmering light. He was drawn to her immediately, but too shy to make contact on his own. Cyril first talked to her when, during a training session, the class was trying to knock targets over with snowballs. He was too distracted by Glacia to notice where he was launching his ammunition, and ended up smashing the instructor in the face with a 50-pound sphere of snow and ice.

Glacia started laughing, and the rest of the class joined her as the instructor shook the snow off himself and tried to get to his feet, only to end up slipping and falling once again.

"You're awful, you know that?" Glacia teased, poking Cyril in the ribs.

"I...uh, I try." he stuttered meekly, earning another of her sparkling laughs. The two introduced themselves, and became friends quickly.

They were best friends by the following year, and Cyril would even skip classes and training to see her. They would run away from the Temple and explore together, sometimes flying all the way to Avalar, and simply reveling in their world. The joys of youth were sweet for the two ice dragons.

By the time the two were sixteen, Blaze and Ignitus arrived at the Temple. The two brothers, Blaze being a year older, both shone as equally talented fighters from the day they arrived. Glacia and Cyril were close friends, but only that. Cyril had opened up to her, but was too shy and scared to make a further move anywhere but in his dreams.

Glacia was drawn to Blaze romantically because, while Cyril was a skilled fighter but still meek and quiet, Blaze was funny and headstrong. Cyril disliked him for the same reasons. He went into denial when people started hinting at their romantic relationship. When she started spending more time with Blaze than she did with him, Cyril decided it was time to try and assert himself.

"Why are you spending so much time with him?" he asked her one day, after classes.

"Blaze? Because...Oh, Cyril, I think I love him." she sighed.

"No...You...I thought..." he stammered, angry and confused.

"Thought what?" she asked curiously.

"I...I thought you loved me." he blushed. She put his paws in hers, and looked him in the eyes.

"Cyril, I do love you. But I love you like a brother. You're my best friend." she told him lovingly.

Cyril couldn't form words. Every single drop of happiness, of love, of laughter over the past 4 years, was in vain. He had wanted to mate with her, raise younglings, grow old, and die with her. And only to be turned down? Maybe it was his fault; he was too vulnerable. He placed too much on being with her.

He got up and left wordlessly. He walked, out of the Temple's great archways, out into the woods. He had no destination, followed no path. He didn't even run. He shed no tears, made no noise. He suppressed every thought.

When his legs wouldn't walk any further, he stopped by a river and listened to the sounds of the night. They calmed whatever rage he had swallowed. Breathing in and out as slowly as he could, he stared down at his reflection. He had to get her out of his head.

When he returned to the Temple, he shared no words with Glacia or Blaze. Any moment he could spend thinking of her, he trained. He trained to cope, to get her out of his mind and keep her there. He trained like he had before she showed up and stole his heart. One positive byproduct of that was his excelling even further in his class, making him a great candidate when it was time for the Guardians to be replaced.

Once every hundred years, the Guardians would choose their successors out of the students they had taught, and step down. Galetor named his successor first, and the Electric Guardian Amperus named his a little later. It was a close decision for the Fire Guardian Pyrio, but after much deliberation, he named Blaze as the next Fire Guardian.

It was generally known that Guardians are not allowed to marry. For that reason, Blaze ran away from the Temple one day, with his mate alongside him. If he disappeared from the Temple, then they'd have to choose someone else. The day before they left, Glacia encountered Cyril on the very balcony they had met last.

"Cyril, I'm leaving with Blaze. We can't come back." she told him softly.

"I know." he replied coldly, sharing his first two words with her in months.

"I love you, Cyril." she said, her eyes growing misty. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips, then flew away.

Why didn't he say anything? Why didn't he do anything? There was so much he could have done, so much he could have changed. But he let her leave. So he trained. He trained harder and harder, late into the nights, early in the mornings, hardly stopping to sleep or eat. He swallowed all his emotions, all his passion, and let it freeze. When he was selected for Guardianship, he didn't celebrate. He just accepted it.

He learned that being a Guardian gave him responsibility, and with responsibility came respect. He became cold, but self-obsessed when he realized just what he had achieved. Pride overcame apathy, and he became the Cyril he was for the rest of his life.

He was still a Guardian, yes, but he had lost all emotion and lost himself.

Was it worth it?

"Volteer, Terrador says that he wants all the Guardians to make a decision about moving the dragons by the end of today. And you need to come up with a story as to where Spyro and Cynder are." Hunter announced.

"Well, that's not quite an issue, my feline acquaintance. Thank you kindly for the information." he spouted.

"No problem." the Cheetah said and left quickly.

* * *

Alright, I updated my story. Now can everyone else update theirs too?

This is a wicked big chapter. It's kind of two chapters. And a fraction that tells us that Volteer's story is uninteresting :)

Anyways, in a few days it will be this story's 1 year anniversary. Leave it some gifts! (Reviews.)


	28. Forgiveness

How did everything go by so fast? It didn't make any sense; what had happened since just a day ago. She saw him, she lusted after him, they mated. That was yesterday. Before then, she ignored him, she was annoyed by him. What had changed?

Ember sat on her windowsill, looking out into the streets and up into the noontime sky. Spyro, who she obsessed over before yesterday, was missing. She didn't care the least, and that concerned her. One day she was madly in love with Spyro, the next with Flame.

Maybe it was her first heat? No, she would have been able to tell. A rush of adolescent hormones? More likely. But she didn't want to blame it on that, since it was...Just so much more that that. Plus, she didn't feel the same way about Spyro as she did with Flame. Spyro was an obsession, Flame was love...Right?

Maybe she was just a whore. She was switching from lusting after one to another, and her and Flame mated practically as soon as she confessed her feelings. And it felt...awesome. But it was different! She never mated with Spyro, or even gotten close, thanks to Cynder. But once again, now she didn't care.

Maybe it was just fate in action. Maybe it was just destiny. Maybe...maybe she shouldn't worry about it. What happened, happened, and she wanted to stay with Flame for as long as she could. Whatever it was, she had never felt happier, no matter how quick it set on or what it was.

"Hello, beautiful!" a sudden cry frightened Ember, and she jumped off the windowsill and into her room. A scarlet head poked over the awning of the roof.

"Flame, what was that for?" she pouted, lying on the hardwood floor. "And what were you doing on the roof in the first place?"

"Sunning. It's quiet up there, much more than inside." he grinned, swinging from the awning through the window and into her room, standing before her on his hind legs.

"I trust you had a good shower, no?" Flame teased, smirking. Ember, still on the floor, kicked him in the ankle.

"Thanks to you, I had to take an entire second shower. I was late to the Guardian's meeting!" she cried, as Flame held his ankle and winced. "By the way, what did I miss?"

"Nothing much, they just said that today would be our last day off. And something about cleaning up our rooms before tomorrow."

"Something big's happening, huh?"

"I guess."

"Anything about Spyro or Cynder?"

"Nope."

Flame took a seat on the floor next to the pink dragoness.

"I'm a little worried about them. I mean, they just disappeared?" he sighed.

"I guess so. I mean, maybe the Guardians sent them on a mission or something?"

"You're probably right." Flame agreed. "Hey, I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"Do you still hate Cynder?" The pink dragon had to think long and hard.

"No. No, I guess not. Not anymore, at least." she finally murmured.

"What about Spyro?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, I mean...Do you still like him?" She had told herself just minutes ago that she was over him, but talking to Flame was different.

"I don't think so. I mean...I'm with you, aren't I?"

"Ember." Flame grasped her paws in his. "There's more to it than that."

"I know, I know. I just..." she pondered. "I just don't know if I'm completely over him. I mean, Flame, I love you. But I think I might still be interested in Spyro."

Flame took all her words in, one at a time, and sighed. He leaned over to kiss her on the lips, and told her,

"As long as you love me, then I'm happy."

"I do love you, Flame. I just regret not finding that out sooner."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I ignored you all my life because I thought you were just some annoying dragon who had a crush on me." Ember admitted. "But you're sweet, you're handsome, you're charming, you're loving. And I just realized it yesterday."

Now it all made sense to her. She had to realize it all before she could love him, and it only took a day for her to realize how much she really did love him.

"I'm sorry for putting you off for so long, Flame. I really am."

"It's okay, I forgive you. I had hoped that one day, you'd see how much I loved you and you'd love me back, and I was ready to wait as long as you'd make me."

Ember snuggled her head into the crook of his neck, kissing his cheek as she did.

"You're the sweetest. You know that?"

"Mmm, I try."

* * *

LAST filler chapter, I swear :)

I know that the Flame/Ember thing has been too hot, so I'm cooling it down.

Any other suggestions? I'm open!

Love,

S/P.


	29. Disguise

"We can't just fly over, can we?"

"No, they probably aren't too fond of intruders. Especially at night, I mean."

"Could we go in invisibly?"

"I don't think we can stay invisible for the entire time we're here."

"Well, we can't just walk in. I'll be killed!" Cynder exclaimed. They were at the end of a forest path, where they could see the Gates of Beauport rising up from the coastal grasslands, and the lights of the city were shining against the night. Beauport was a walled city on a hill, with its eastern end opened right next to the sea, where great ships from faraway lands would trade rare goods with the Cheetahs in the city.

Spyro thought about ways to get in. He didn't want to have to be invisible, but he knew that if the Cheetahs saw Cynder, even in her smaller, natural form, they would recognize her. How could he make Cynder not look like herself?

"I've got an idea. It's pretty complicated, but it should work." Spyro said, grinning.

An hour later, Cynder was waiting outside the city by the river's edge. The Avalar River flowed right alongside the city's northern walls; this was how the Cheetahs of Avalar used to trade with their eastern brothers and sisters before the war. She was growing impatient, waiting for Spyro to get back from whatever he was doing within the city.

She looked up in the sky, to see what looked like an awkwardly-shaped bird. As it got lower and lower to the ground, she could tell it was a satchel of some kind, that looked to be descending to the ground right next to her at a controlled pace. It hovered a bit a few feet above the ground when it reached it, and then was dropped.

"You didn't steal all that, did you?" the black dragoness asked.

"Well..not all of it." Spyro's voice answered, his purple form becoming visible before her as her Shadow Breath wore off. "And the marketplace was just closing anyways."

"Alright, smart guy, show me what you've got." she said.

"This is Cerulium" he began, producing a little glass vial out of the satchel. "I'm using it to dye my scales blue temporarily. This..." Spyro dug a small brass canister out of the satchel and held it in front of Cynder. "...Is called Pyrium. It's a red pigment that can temporarily dye your scales." He put the brass back into the satchel, and pulled out a variety of golden jewelery. "These, well, I thought you might like them. They'll look good on you when you're red."

Cynder smiled and blushed, and Spyro pulled out two wool cloaks, one dark green and another dark blue.

"We'll wear these when we go in, it might help us fit in a little better. And it's getting pretty chilly out."

Spyro rubbed the powder into his own scales, turning them a dark ocean blue, and he helped rub the dye into Cynder's scales, which turned her a deep, dark blood red. She put her silver jewelry in the satchel, and put the golden necklace, bracelets, and tail bracelet on. She then wrapped herself in the dark green cloak, pulling the hood over her head so its shadows were cast on her face.

Spyro's jaw dropped. The way her emerald green eyes matched the cloak, and how it contrasted with her deep blood-red scales made her look completely new, and foreign. Her ivory horns and golden jewelery glinted in the dim moonlight.

"How do I look?" she said, turning around and giving Spyro a full view.

"Amazing..." he muttered.

"You look awesome too." she admitted. Very few dragons had ever been a dark blue; most Ice dragons were paler, but Spyro seemed to play the part well, blending into the dark blue of his cloak. "Well, try and keep off me until we get into the city, alright?" she teased. "I don't want the dye coming off on each other; that would be hard to explain. And we don't want to trash these cloaks."

"I'll try, then..." he said, pretending to sound discouraged. "Hey, maybe we should walk on our hind legs. These cloaks are dragging."

The two dragons, standing tall, walked towards the city's gate on the path through the grass. As they got closer to the towering walls, Cynder gripped his paw firmly.

"Don't be scared." he comforted her in a low voice. "They'll never know it's us."

"I don't want to remember what happened in these fields..." she whispered.

"Just close your eyes." he whispered back. "It wasn't you, it was Malefor."

"You're right." she said, shutting her eyes tightly.

"Halt!" a voice sounded from the top of a tower next to the gate as the two dragons approached it. Spyro's eyes shot up and Cynder gasped from surprise. They could only see glowing eyes, cat eyes...rows of them in the towers next to the gate. A rope flew down from the tower's top, and within seconds a whole battalion of Cheetahs in army uniform were sliding down the rope and surrounding them.

It happened so fast, the two of them couldn't escape before they were circled by Cheetahs, pointing swords, spears, and arrows at their heads silently.

"Cuff them." a voice said. A taller Cheetah, with blue fur and deep blue eyes, broke through the circle calmly and eyed them angrily. Before they could protest, their forepaws were roughly grabbed by two soldiers behind them and cuffed with cold metal.

"What the hell?" Spyro shouted. "What is all this?" He was bewildered and anxious, being held by two soldiers behind him so he couldn't move.

"You know damn well what this is." the Cheetah in front of them said coolly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Spyro spat. The Cheetah clenched his claw into a tight fist and slammed it into the side of Spyro's head. He didn't stay conscious long enough for the pain to hit him, but he remembered the world quickly fading to blackness.


	30. Jail

"You're awake. Finally. I was getting impatient."

"What...what is this?" Spyro grumbled angrily, the sleep still in his eyes and brain. He reached to rub his sore head, but his hands were in shackles above his head. He kicked; so were his legs.

"You're in Beauport Tower. Jail." the voice said. It was coming from a cheetah in the corner of the room, with sky blue fur and dark blue eyes. He stood up and strutted over to his prisoner, his military uniform stiff around his frame.

"Jail?" cried Spyro. "What did I do?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Bandit." the Cheetah curled a fist and punched Spyro square in the stomach. If he could have bent over in pain, he would have, but only a pained grunt and a moan escaped his maw. As he attempted to bend, he noticed that all of his scales were still blue from the dye.

"If you insist on playing the fool, I'll tell you." The Cheetah sighed. "Between the both of you, you have 38 counts of breaking and entering, 36 counts of robbery, 21 counts of assault, 19 counts of vandalism, 13 counts of arson, and 8 counts of damaging Royal property."

"...The both of us?" he murmured, and darted his head to see Cynder, still sleeping and reddened, shackled in the same position as himself to his left. He was relieved to see her with him, and in good condition, but seeing her imprisoned only angrier at his captor.

"Who are you?" Spyro spat, changing the subject.

"I'm Captain Lucius, Commander of the Guard of the City of Beauport." he said, regally. "I never would have expected that you'd be Dragons. So there are more of you left..." the Cheetah whipped a knife out of his cloak and placed it a hair's width away from Spyro's throat. "How did you get into the Caverns? How many of you are there?"

Spyro was scared.

"What caverns? What do you mean?" he stuttered.

"If you keep playing dumb with me you'll both meet your end right now! Now where have you been hiding?" he shouted.

"I..." he began, trying to construct a story. "We hid in the swamps when Cynder's army came. To the far west of Avalar. We were orphans living in the woods."

"Why are you here?"

"The Apes burnt down the forest trying to find us. We needed a place to stay, so we wandered. Avalar was attacked, Warfang was in ruins, so we came here."

The Cheetah hesitated a bit, staring at Spyro right in the eyes.

"You're lying to me." he spat.

"What do you want from me?" Spyro pleaded.

The Cheetah pulled away.

"I want the truth. You didn't just come here from the woods. You've been living in the Caverns, haven't you? And...and I bet you have Cynder with you too! How did you get into the Caverns? Tell me!"

"What are you talking about?" Spyro cried. "I don't know about any caverns! And I thought Cynder was dead!" The Cheetah shot a deathly glare at him when he said that.

"She is NOT dead!" he screamed.

Spyro was totally confused. What was this crazy Cheetah talking about?

"Listen, I don't know about any of that. I don't even know if there are other dragons out there! I've never been here before in my life. Let me go!" He cried.

"I don't have to let you go until you can prove that you're not the Bandits." the Cheetah stated smugly.

Spyro frowned. He was running out of ideas, and he was getting desperate. He knew that, given the way they had already been treated, the longer they stayed the more painful the stay would be.

"Well...Give me a chance to prove my innocence! What do I have to do?"

"Hmm..." the Cheetah paced back and forth. "I think I have a way for you to. Every time we've seen the Bandits, they've flown away. We can't catch them if they fly."

"But you..." the Cheetah eyed Spyro over. "You could follow them, You could lead us to their hideout, and we'd catch them and get the stolen goods back."

"I'll do it."

"But...we have to make sure you don't leave the city, now don't we?" Lucius interrupted. "How about we keep your friend here in the Tower?"

"What? I can't just leave her here!" he pleaded. Obviously he wouldn't want them to uncover Cynder's true identity, and the dye would fade in an indefinite amount of time, so leaving her here didn't seem to be a good plan of action.

"You'll have to if you want out. Otherwise, you'll be tried and found guilty for these crimes pressed against you, and you'll have no chance of escape."

The blue-tinted dragon thought through his options. Having none, he looked to Cynder, who was stirring in her sleep. As it was, there was no other way to ensure her getting out of here if he didn't leave her. Though she'd hate him for it, he had to do what was best for the both of them.

"Just don't hurt her..."

* * *

Hello world I'm alive again!

School's in session so expect annoyingly infrequent updates such as this one more often.

I can't wait to be done this soon!

Peace and Blessings,

SP.


	31. Plots

"Now that you're all here, we can make our announcement." Terrador paced across the front of the room, looking at the 6 young dragons in the room, his low voice booming. "As you're all probably aware by now, Spyro and Cynder are not in Warfang anymore. We've sent them on a mission to clear out remaining battalions of Grublins to the far north of Warfang. But, with those two taking care of that threat, we've determined that rebuilding Warfang is a more suitable task for the Moles, and thus we've come up with a new assignment for you six."

Cyril took over. "The Dragon Temple, from what we've heard, is mostly in functioning order. As Guardians and your caretakers, it is our duty to teach you, and we feel it will be best to teach you in the environment we have taught in before, that being the Temple. As it was your parents' intentions to have you born in and attending the Temple, we are fulfilling their wishes in doing so."

Volteer continued. "As a result of this revelation, we'll be relocating to the current location of the Dragon Temple in a matter of days. With good fortune, Spyro and Cynder will join us there relatively quickly, though for now we will commence with our intentions of instructing you in the matters of education and combat."

Blaze took the stand. "The Temple is in the same valley as the one we were living in before we came here. There's certainly enough food and water for all of us, and the Temple will provide excellent shelter. We'll leave in two days time, bright and early in the morning. Keep in mind that, since you won't be rebuilding Warfang anymore, we'll be expecting you to help us bring the Temple back up to mint condition."

"You are dismissed." Cyril concluded. The younger dragons filed out of the room.

"That went painlessly." Terrador said, relieved.

Meanwhile, Spyro was in one of the many other rooms in the Tower. It killed him to know that he had left Cynder alone in her cell, still sleeping, but he knew that complying was their only chance out. Captain Lucius and another high-ranking Guard member were instructing Spyro on his task at hand.

"The only place with a significant amount of gold left that the Cloaked Bandits haven't robbed is the Treasury. This is the most secure gold storage place in the city, but we've found evidence that they've discovered the sewer tunnels beneath the building and are digging close to entering." Lucius said.

"We think they'll strike tonight. So we're going to lock you in the building at sundown, and when they enter, you're going to follow them out and trail them back to their hideout." the other Cheetah guardsman continued.

"What if they catch me?" Spyro asked. "Should I fight them?"

"You won't be caught. If you are, I don't know what they'd do to you, but you'd have failed your task." Lucius certainly wasn't reassuring him. He had to get in, hide, find the Bandits, follow them to their hideout without having them notice, get back, and lead the Guard to the hideout. And if he failed in any portion of this delicate procedure, than he would never see Cynder again.

"Alright. I'll do it."

"We're giving you two days. If you're not back by sundown two days from now with the information we want, you won't be seeing the red one ever again."

Outside the hall where the Guardians had spoken, Cyprin, Volta, Surgio, and Gaia congregated, while Flame and Ember ran upstairs hurriedly.

"Is anyone else curious why they're sending us from place to place, like they don't really have a clue what they're doing?" Cyprin asked.

"It's like they're making it up as they go along!" Surgio agreed.

"And assigning Spyro and Cynder to some kind of secret mission but not telling us until now? I don't think they have a clue where those two are!" Volta stated.

"This whole thing's strange. Why didn't we just stay in the Valley?" Gaia added.

"I think someone owes us all an explanation as to what's going on here." said Cyprin.

"What kinds of trouble are you all causing?" Hunter interrupted, walking into the crowd of dragons.

"Hunter, why are they moving us?" Cyprin stepped forward and asked the Cheetah. "We know they have some kind of reason they're not telling us."

"Err...I'm not exactly at liberty to discuss that with you. Just don't worry, everything will end up fine."

"Hunter, that's not good enough." Gaia stepped up. "We know you know, and we want you to tell us." The four of them formed a circle around the cat, and closed in, trapping him in. He darted his head around to see if the Guardians were nearby, and leaned in and spoke quietly.

"All I can tell you is that something terrible is about to happen to the city, and the utmost priority is to get you young dragons out of danger and to a safe place. Spyro and Cynder...Well the Guardians said they were keeping the Grublins at bay, but no one quite knows where they are or what they're doing. But right now, we've got to worry about keeping you safe. In time you'll understand, but for now the best thing you can do for yourselves is to listen to the Guardians, don't worry about Spyro or Cynder, and don't try anything stupid."

The young dragons mulled all the information over, and Hunter took the chance to escape the circle of dragons. "Don't speak a word of this to the Guardians. Not even Blaze!" With that, he left.

"So, something big's gonna happen to Warfang and they're leaving to take care of us?" Gaia asked.

"Think of the poor Moles!" Volta added.

"We could fight off whatever's coming, if they gave us a chance! I'm...We're tough enough!" Surgio said, puffing his chest out.

"I don't know what to make of any of this..." Cyprin shook his head.

"Hey, if Spyro and Cynder can just disappear, no problem, what's stopping us from just disappearing from the Temple and defending the city?" Surgio asked.

"Yeah!" Volta agreed. "Someone's gotta protect the Moles, and we can do it!"

"Hey, should we get Ember or Flame in on this plan?" Gaia asked. The other three looked at each other with knowing glances.

"Why not?" asked Cyprin. "Flame's a good fighter. The more of us there are, the stronger we'll be."

"No, they'd...well, they'd muck everything up. I hate to say it, and Flame's my bro, but those two would just argue the whole time." Surgio said. The rest of them laughed.

Meanwhile, Flame and Ember disappeared into his room, the door slamming shut behind them.

* * *

So, if you check Ch.s 26 and 27, you'll see that I've added some crucial elements to them that change the plot of the story considerably. (i.e., Grublin invasion.)

I got almost 500 reads in the one day I put the last chapter up and I've gotta say thank you to all my numerous readers!

Keep reading, and please review!

SP.


	32. Theft

He had wanted to see Warfang. He got his wish. He had wanted to walk along the shore and the boardwalk with Cynder, enjoying the sights, the sun, and the ocean. Instead, he was seeing the streets through windows of a carriage filled with armed Guardmen, the cloudy sky reflecting gray and cold upon the buildings of stucco and brick. These nameless streets weren't of interest to him, and he was anxious about reaching his destination. He was to be locked inside the vault of the city's Treasury, where he was to await two thieves, follow them to their lair undetected, and return to the city within two days. Under any other conditions this mission would be simple, but if he failed during any portion of his task, then he would never see Cynder again. The stakes were high.

He looked out one window, and saw a blackened heap of charred wood.

"That was Felix's Bank, which contained one of the larger supplies of gold in the city. It was burned to the ground during a robbery, and Felix himself claimed he was struck by lightning." Lucius said, knowing what Spyro was looking at. The carriage continued, and he saw a tall stucco building with huge holes in the walls of every floor. He could see melting icicles dripping from a few of the holes, a rare sight in summer. "That was a Royal Armory. Witnesses reported hunks of ice and earth being whipped through the building."

"How many Cloaked Bandits did you say there were?" Spyro asked.

"Two. Every incident, everyone's seen two Bandits at the scene. Why?" Lucius answered.

"Just curious..." The four elements were represented in the attacks. As they drove further through the city, Spyro saw at the crime scenes that each of the elements was paired with all the others randomly. If there were only two Bandits, how were all of the elements represented? The Bandits had to be Dragons. No other creature had the abilities to use the elements. But weren't he and Cynder the only dragons who could use more than one element? He'd find out soon enough.

This meant he'd have to turn in some of the few remaining dragons in the world to be tortured in prison if he ever wanted to see Cynder again. But that raised the questions, why were there Dragons robbing Beauport? What did they need the loot for? And where were they hiding?

"We're here." Lucius stated. The other silent Guardsmen exited the car, and Lucius followed Spyro out the door.

The Beauport Treasury was a great wide building with marble pillars out front. Beauport's coins were minted and stored in the great expanse of vaults, and it was commonly purported to be the most secure building in the city. The Guard had recently found that something had been burrowing a small tunnel in the sewers that led up to the basements directly underneath the basements of the Treasury. The tunnel was almost complete, and it was estimated that whoever was digging every night would be done by that night.

Captain Lucius walked alongside Spyro up the pathway to the large wooden doors of the great building before them.

"Guardsmen, at ease!" He called out as they approached the doors. Guardsmen stepped out from behind each pillar to face them. "Since the robberies have began, the Guard has been posted to defend the Treasury 24/7. I've issued them orders not to attack tonight, in hopes of your mission being successful."

Spyro looked around, and saw the figures of Guardsmen atop the roofs of the buildings surrounding the Treasury. That explained why the place with the most gold hadn't been robbed yet. The two of them commenced through the large doors and into the main hall, which was a great lobby with tall ceilings and many branching hallways that led to the countless offices.

Beauport was, like Warfang once was, a self-contained independent city-state. The government was mostly a democracy, where the people elected the Mayor and members of the 50-person Council. The Mayor appointed his 5-person Cabinet: the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Law, Chief Justice, and the Commander of the Guard. Since the robberies had commenced, a state of emergency had been declared, delegating all the powers of the State, Treasury, Law, and Justice Departments and the Council directly to the Mayor. Only the Commander of the Guard remained under independent control.

Lucius ushered the blue dragon down one of the hallways until they stood before a huge metal door.

"This is one of the five doors that lead to the vault." He produced three keys from his cloak and delicately put them in the three locks on the door. Turning them, the door slowly creaked open. Another large wooden door with a spinning lock on it was revealed. The pale blue Cheetah spun the large metal wheel to the left a few times, stopped, then again to the right, and so on with utmost precision, until that door swung open as well. The remaining three doors required similar rituals of keys and numbers, until at last the final door was open and the vault was revealed.

The vault was a huge expanse of a room, walled with thick metal and lit only by the sparsely placed torches high upon thee walls. The room itself was not interesting aside from its immense size; the interesting part was its contents. In sacks or stacks or messy piles, rare gems and coins and bricks of gold, silver, and bronze littered the floor and reached high to the ceiling.

"Get comfortable; you'll be in here for a while." Lucius barked. "And remember...If you're not back at Beauport Tower two days from now with the information we want, you might as well never show up." With that, Spyro could hear the five doors behind him closing.

He knew waiting for the Bandits to arrive would be a chore. That is, if they arrived. Who knew if they'd even show up tonight? Who knew if he'd even get out of the vault before his time ran out? Lucius certainly wouldn't come back and let him out.

With a large amount of time on his paws to kill, Spyro decided he'd try out a power in a way he didn't know would work. He started the mental action that triggered Dragon Time, but channeled the time-slowing force backwards in his own mind. In doing so, this made time speed up. He pushed the force harder and, within a few minutes, hours had passed. He couldn't tell what time it was exactly, but the use of energy tired him out, and, with no Power Gems to restore it, he fell into a nap on the nearest pile of coins.

He was awoken from his light, trance-like sleep after an indefinite amount of time by what sounded like a hammer pounding on the floor. His eyes shot open and he could tell that the noise was coming from the dead center of the room, and getting louder and closer.

"Bandits..." he muttered to himself. He needed to hide. Seeing a burnt-out torch high on the wall, he flew towards it and perched carefully on the charred head, trying to watch and not fall off.

As the increase of noise reached its climax, a hunk of rock shot through the metal floor, leaving a gaping crater in the floor and a huge dent in the ceiling. Out of the hole climbed two cloaked figures, one garbed in dark green and the other in navy blue. Spyro knew that they had to be Dragons, but, just as the cloaks had completely concealed his and Cynder's identities when outside the city, the Bandits were totally concealed.

"Jackpot." the one in green stated, loudly but in an expectant tone. The one in blue just chuckled to himself. They both produced large burlap sacks from within their cloaks, and began filling them up with bricks and coins of gold.

"How much did we need to buy those ships off the Lions?" one asked.

"It can't have been more than 8,000 pieces. We almost had enough last time." replied the other.

"Well, you try and grab 5,000 and I will too. We need to pay for supplies, too."

"Good thinking. Think it'll all fit in the bags?"

"If we go for bullion more than coins, then yes, probably."

"Nice."

Spyro had to wonder what they were talking about. They continued to chatter until the bags were almost too heavy to carry, and the one in blue shot a cloud of ice crystals out of his mouth and into the tunnel. The two of them slung their loot over their shoulders and jumped in, sliding down the ice. Waiting a few second, Spyro shot down from his perch and entered the tunnel, compressing his wings to fit in such a narrow passageway. He could see the two Bandits in front of him, but he was definitely at a safe distance away. They gained a ton of momentum from their downhill slide, but he could tell from the smell that they'd be approaching the mouth of the sewers.

The Bandit in blue spat another cloud of icy vapor, which froze the sewage, as the two of them continued a downhill slide. Where would the sewers take them? Spyro followed as the one in blue paved new tracks for them to slide upon, turning and weaving through different tunnels and forks with precision to follow them at a safe distance. The sewers had to end somewhere, and he could see the night sky at the end of the tunnel they were in. They all shot out of it, and Spyro found that he was hovering in front of a huge, rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. The cliff was dotted with sewage pipes that leaked waste water into the waves pounding at the cliff. He saw wings, green and blue, rip out from the backs of the Bandits' cloaks, and they seemed to dive into the foamy waters of the ocean. He hesitated for a bit, but took a deep breath and plunged in horns-first.

It was difficult to see in only the moonlight, and the salt stung his eyes, but Spyro could see the two dark figures enter what looked like a tunnel far below, at the base of the rocky cliff. Spyro knew only how to swim with his paws, and couldn't make it all the way down in just that manner. He stretched his wings out, the cold seawater making the soft tissues numb. He pushed the water beneath his wings the way he'd push air beneath them, and with a few practice strokes he was rocketing towards the mouth of the cave.

The cave went up, so up Spyro swam. Just as his supply of oxygen began to run out, he saw the surface, and broke forth, gasping for air. He was in a dank, dark grotto that smelled of seawater and mold, but torches lit the way down a tunnel to where he could see the Bandits entering a gate, sacks still over their shoulders. What lay beyond that gate? He tiptoed behind them, sneaking against the wall in the shadows, until he approached the large metal doors. They didn't seem to be locked, so gently he pushed one open and slid through the opening.

His jaw dropped as he gasped. He was standing atop what looked like a giant underground aqueduct, and below it lay hundreds of small houses and other buildings made of sandy brick. It looked like ancient ruins, but everything was in mint condition. Strangest of all was how the cavern was lit; glowing mold and mushrooms grew on the ceiling that cast an eerie light that faltered somewhere between blue and green. What caught his eye more than the glowing fungus were the inhabitants of the cavern.

Hundreds of Dragons walked and flew from building to building. It looked like there were crops growing on the floor of the cavern, out of the soil, and he could see Dragons tending to them. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was a bustling subterranean town.

"Halt! Who goes there?" a voice called out. A huge yellow dragon was marching down the aqueduct towards Spyro.

"Uhh...My name is..." he tried to fabricate a name, but he was interrupted.

"You're the Purple Dragon..." he gasped, bowing his head. Spyro looked down to see that the seawater had washed the Cerulium out of his scales, revealing the purple and yellow underneath. Others followed the yellow Dragon bowing in front of him, and when they saw him they too bowed to him. More came to see the commotion. In a matter of minutes, almost a thousand dragons surrounded Spyro, their heads to the ground.

"Umm..." Spyro didn't know how to react. One of the larger dragons, an old Earth Dragon with scales of olive, approached Spyro and bowed yet again.

"My lord...I am Arden, Chieftain of the Glowing Caverns." he said. "I never thought in my days that I would see the Purple Dragon...alive!"

"We had heard you were dead!" A female voice called out. A tall, slim old Ice dragoness stepped forwards and as she bowed, her smile gave off a glittering light. "My name is..."

"Glacia..." Spyro muttered under his breath as she said it.

"I am the Healer of the Caverns. I just can't believe it! You're alive!"

"We had heard that Malefor was defeated." Arden stated. "But we had no clue there were other Dragons still out there! We thought we were the last ones!"

"How'd you hear that if you're all down here?" Spyro wondered.

"Our four Bandits overheard quite a bit..." Glacia said, pointing towards four dragons, a few years older than Spyro, one of each element. "...While they were performing their missions."

"Come with me...We'll explain everything." Arden ushered Spyro down the aqueduct and into the town below.

* * *

Yeah...It's gonna get even better, don't you worry.

And I may have changed a bunch of little things in Chapters 26-30, just because I need to tweak them to make these next parts go with them better.

Review MOAR.

SP.


	33. Caverns

"Long ago, these caverns weren't below the ocean. They were high above the sea, and Dragons lived in them. The Moles lived in the fields to the west, and north of that lived the Cheetahs in the Valley of Avalar. The three peoples lived in harmony for ages."

"One day, Apes came from the islands in the far west, riding in great ships across the ocean and on the backs of elephants across the land. They were determined to conquest all the peoples that they came across, and they declared from Avalar to the sea their own territory, the inhabitants now their subjects."

"Quick to anger, the Cheetahs rebelled first. They tried to burn the Ape villages along the frontier, but the Apes retaliated and set fire to the entire Valley of Avalar. Next the Moles rebelled, charging at their armies with swords and spears. But the Apes fired upon their soldiers with cannons."

"Lastly, the Dragons rebelled. They had their Chieftain, the great Earth warrior Warfang, and all the most powerful Earth warriors create an earthquake that demolished their settlements. The Dragons thought they had won, but the Apes came on their warships and fired upon the caverns in the cliff. The whole cliff sank into the sea, a fragment of what once stood remaining. The mouths of the caves were permanently blocked by rock and ocean, and the surviving Dragons had no home."

"The Dragon Chieftain, Warfang, called a council of the leaders of the Dragons, Moles, and Cheetahs together in secret. They knew that they could only gain freedom by working together. They decided to plan a secret assault. One morning, the Apes awoke to find their capital village surrounded by Cheetah warriors. Before they could attack, Mole warriors, who had dug underneath the earth, sprung up throughout the village and attacked. As the Cheetah rushed in, the Dragons flew in from the skies. The Governor of the Apes, trapped in his castle, agreed to Warfang's terms, being that the Apes would never be allowed to return to their lands again, on penalty of death."

"In honor of their victory and alliance, the three nations bestowed upon each other gifts. The Cheetahs gave access to the rare Power Gems that could be mined in their valley. The Dragons gave the food that grew in their plains by the sea. And the Moles built a great city for the Cheetahs while Avalar regrew, and an even greater city for the Dragons. They named the city after their fearless commander, Warfang."

Spyro took in all of the information that Arden told him in his story. They were in the Town Hall, a tall brick building in the center of the Glowing Caverns, in a large hall full of maps and portraits. Arden approached a large table with a hand-drawn map sprawled out on it.

"When the Apes took the Dragon Temple, we were told to go to Warfang in hopes of finding safety. The Guardians didn't know that Apes had already infiltrated the city. Neither did we. When we landed, we were ambushed. The few who made it out...Well, I didn't see where any of the others went, but about fifty of us flew to the sea.

"The Mayor of Beauport sympathized to our stories, but if he kept us in the city, the Apes would catch hear and attack. So we searched the shore and the sea, and found that the Caverns of so very long ago were still mostly intact. We've been living here since. Ever since we arrived, we've found about a hundred other Dragons who were hiding, and we've taken them in. We had found an Ape concentration camp...The few who survived, we brought back here. After that, a few years had passed and we assumed that there were none left and that we had found all the survivors."

"It was after that that more Apes invaded. We couldn't tread outside the caverns as easily, lest we be caught. So we hid. We hid and we reproduced and we repaired and we taught the young ones. But only so much food can be grown in darkness. Before, the Mayor of Beauport would supply us with as much food as we needed. Even when Cynder laid siege to the city, we had what we needed. But one day, the Commander of the Guard began growing curious as to where the food in the storehouses was going. Suspecting that the Apes were infiltrating the city secretly, he declared a state of emergency."

"While there were no Apes invading, the state of emergency meant our supply lines were cut. We had to get food from somewhere. The Lions, trading partners of the Cheetahs who live far across the sea, had the food we needed, but they charged a hefty price. We began sending our best warriors, in pairs of two, to rob banks and armories so we could trade for what we needed. It was an immoral thing to do, but we did what we had to."

"The old Commander was assassinated and replaced by a Cheetah who knew that the Mayor was previously giving out the food to someone. This Cheetah, a cold-hearted dictator by the name of Lucius, trapped the Mayor in his own tower and effectively ruled the city through him. Lucius was a fascist, iron-fisted ruler, banishing from the city anyone who was not a Cheetah. Even those who were sympathetic to other peoples were jailed indefinitely. Even now that the war is over, Lucius is in command and every citizen's under watch to make sure they're not harboring any threats to the city. He's paranoid."

"Since he seems to be close to finding out where we're hiding, we've been taking enough to buy a few ships from the Lions. We're planning on travelling to some island in the east where we can live freely in the sun, year-round."

"Now that you've heard our story, why don't you tell us yours?" Glacia interrupted. "We can only hear so much through our Bandits." Spyro told the story of how he was saved from the raid, his battles against Cynder, the defeat of Malefor, finding the other dragons, and his and Cynder's running away.

"Cyril...he's still alive?" Glacia asked, her eyes wide. "And Blaze too?"

"Terrador?" Arden asked. "My big brother..." The two older dragons sat in silence for a long time, just staring at the ground and processing that the ones they had thought were lost long ago were still alive.

"They're still in Warfang." Spyro said. "With the others. But anyways, why would Lucius keep me and Cynder in jail as opposed to just killing us or deporting us?"

"Lucius kept asking about Cynder, right?" Arden asked, snapping out of his trance. "We've got to get back to the task at hand."

"Then it's just as we've feared." Glacia shook her head. "The first reason he detained you is that he needed information on the Cloaked Bandits. He guessed correctly in that they're Dragons, and he thought if anyone was a likely suspect or had information on the Bandits, it would be Dragons."

"The second reason is a bit more morbid. There's an ultra-nationalist secret Cheetah cult, called the Cyndrists, who worship Cynder as something of a demi-god. They believe that, if they can extract Malefor's dark energy from her, they can create a new, better Dark Lord from a Cheetah who can create a new world for them, like Malefor would for his followers."

Spyro gasped. "Lucius is one of them?"

"From what you've said, probably."

"She's still in Beauport Tower..." Spyro muttered.

"Pyrium runs off the scales in a little more than a day." Glacia noted. "We've had to go undercover for some things back in the day and we've used it."

"Then we have to go now." Arden got up from the table and pulled maps out from a shelf on the wall. "I have here the layout of Beauport Tower." he said, laying them out on the table. It sounds like you were being held in the basements, so the best option is to take the sewers."

"This isn't a mission you can do alone, Spyro." Glacia said. "I think it's time we introduce you to the Cloaked Bandits." While Arden was mapping out their assault, the Ice Dragoness led Spyro out of the room and down a lengthy hallway.

"Cyril...He told me about you." Spyro said. "He and Blaze thought you were dead."

"Well...I thought I was too." She breathed. "I was shot down outside the Dragon Temple by an arrow to the wing." She outstretched her left wing to show a scarred tear in the membrane. I managed to save mine and Blaze's egg in the crash. I couldn't fly to safety until the wound had healed, so I had to hide in the forest and evade Apes on foot. By the time I reached Warfang, the city was flushing Apes out, so I knew it wasn't safe to stay. I had the chance to get my wing patched up by a Mole, a friend of mine from when I had lived in the city, but while I was there, my egg hatched."

"I had twins...of two Elemental types, a most peculiar combination, but yes, twins nonetheless. Cyrillus and Blaine, they look just like their father and I...I left the city with them and, on the outskirts of Warfang, encountered Arden and a convoy of his scouts. They took me in, and I've been here since." The two of them entered a room that looked similar to the training room in the Dragon Temple...almost identical to it.

"Doesn't this place look just like the Dragon Temple?" she asked, knowing why Spyro was staring. "It turns out there were once three different Dragon Temples. The one in the forest that we've both gone to, one in the islands to the West, and this one in the caverns by the sea."

"I've been looking into a lot of Dragon history since I've been here...We once lived across this whole continent, in vaster numbers than in my time. Other species moved in from across the sea...some friendly, like Moles and Cheetahs and Atlawas, others not as much, like the Apes and other ghouls. Disease took many dragons generations before my time, and we congregated in Warfang and the woods by the Temple, though many others remained scattered. What's left of us is so infinitely small compared to what we once were..." she sighed.

"Thanks to you, Spyro, my children and all the children have a world to grow up in and fill. We no longer have to await death, nor do we have to escape our homeland and sail faraway for freedom. The Dragon race shall flourish once more..."

In the room training against the automated dummies were four dragons. The Ice dragon and Fire dragon, fighting back to back, looked like identical copies of different shades, both tall and lean with faces chiseled like Blaze's and soft like Glacia's.

"That's Cyrillus and Blaine." she pointed to them. In another corner of the room, a young Earth dragoness who looked like a cross between Gaia and Arden was launching missiles of rock at dummies who were turning to dust. "That's Arda, obviously the daughter of Arden. And that..." she pointed to the Electric dragon in the farthest corner who was shooting lightning out of every appendage. "...is Amperion. The quiet one."

"You don't say..." Spyro chuckled.

"Rather unlike his uncle Volteer, don't you think?" she smiled back. "Bandits! Assemble!" she barked out. The dummies retreated and the Dragons assembled before her. "This is Spyro, the Purple Dragon. He requires your skills and expertise for a mission more important than any of your previous ones."

They all returned to the hall where Arden had many maps and diagrams laid up on the wall.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your next mission. You'll be taking the sewers to Beauport Tower, the most heavily guarded building in Beauport, even more than the Treasury. Our target is to free all the prisoners."

"All the prisoners?" Spyro asked.

"In the tower are many Cheetahs who had helped us in times past. The Mayor's Office is on the top floor, and he himself is being held prisoner as well. All the other prisoners are below ground, but in the dungeons below sewer level is where out main target is. Cynder."

"You'll enter the sewers the usual route, follow the main thoroughfare into the center of town and take these routes to the Tower. Unlike your previous missions, where you have entered from sewer level and worked your way up, you will have to scale the tower and enter from the roof. You'll free the Mayor first, and get to the basements where the prisoners are kept and incapacitate the guards. Cynder should be in the lowest level, so she'll be last. You'll bore back into the sewers and return here immediately after completion."

"Has everyone got that?" Glacia asked. "Good. You'll be leaving in the morning."

* * *

New plot turns, gotta love em.

Only thing I love more is retellings of histories.

So I'm rather pleased with this chapter.

Please review it. And thanks so much for reading!

SP.


	34. Underground

Beneath Beauport, Spyro awoke in a strange new room, guest's quarters in the town hall.. He remembered discovering the city the night before, and he rolled off of the bed to look out the window. The light-emitting crystals and molds seemed to be brighter than they had been in the night. Aside from the illuminated roof, the scene outside looked like what he had seen Dragon villages as in books and scrolls and dreams. Farmers tended their crops, traders bustled in the marketplace, craftsmen built things out of wood and clay and metal. This was his first time seeing the living remnants of a civilization he had only read of.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a soft voice called from outside his room. Spyro whipped his head around to see Glacia standing in the doorway. "In a twisted sort of way."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's just like any other Dragon village. But it has no sun, no sky, no rivers. It is a warped view of the world above us." she said poetically. "Did you know that it is sunset above ground right now? Our daytime, when the caverns are bright, is nighttime in the overworld. You had arrived at their sunrise and our sunset." Spyro reflected on her words. "Come," she said finally. "Breakfast is being served."

In the corridors of the building, the two Dragons walked, Glacia informing Spyro of the plan further laid out the night before. Spyro would enter Beauport Tower per Lucius' instructions and lead him and his Guardsmen to a faraway place. Meanwhile, the Bandits would enter the tower from the roof, liberate the Mayor and free the prisoners. Spyro would return and join them to free Cynder.

"There is a switch in shifts in the Tower at their midnight, right when the clock strikes twelve. If you can lure out the few Guardsmen remaining along with Lucius, then there will be around fifteen minutes where there are no Guardsmen inside. That's when our Bandits will enter, and you'll return to the Tower to help them."

"Before you arrive at the Tower, though, we need you to find some of our old friends who can help you with your task." Glacia instructed him. "The Mayor used to supply us with what we needed when we first lived down here, but when it came to valuables we wanted for trading, there was an underground criminal collective known as the Mandars who were happy to deal with us. The Mandars claim lineage from an ancient tribe of Cheetah warriors of the same name, and are as fierce and cunning as any warrior clan. They speak in a strange code, their secret language a mystery to outsiders. This syndicate knew of our existence and our plight, and were happy to trade with us whatever we wanted. Before we began trading with the Lions, it was through the Mandars that we received weapons, technology, and news of the overworld. It was widely known at that time that the Mandars had been doing business with Moles, Dragons, Lions, and even Apes, much to the chagrin of the Cyndrists. In fact, the Mandars had ordered the assassination of many high-ranking Cyndrists before that cult was driven underground."

"Needless to say, when a secret Cyndrist came into power, the Mandars were all but eradicated. Like us Dragons, though, when one is thought to be destroyed they are only in hiding. We're positive they're still in business somewhere. We want you to go to what once was the lair of the Mandars and find their old Chieftain, and seek assistance. They need to know that now is the time for action and revolution, and if the Dragons and the Mandars join forces, the Cyndrists will fall and Warfang will be their playground once more. When the Mandars and their sympathizers are running in the streets, the Guardsmen will leave you and you'll be able to return to the Tower."

"Glacia...After all this is done, what will happen to the Dragons down here?" Spyro asked. "Once Lucius is gone, the surface will be safe. You can all return home."

"I would like nothing more than to see all the Dragons returning to the overworld." she sighed. "But it will be difficult."

"How?" he asked.

"Our people have called this place home for years. Many were born here. Some may not want to leave. But others would not be used to the surface. Without sunlight and fresh air, our people have become weak. Many are born blind, including Arden's own daughter Arda. Those born below here are pale and sickly. Some may not survive if sent to the overworld."

"Weren't you going to travel to some faraway islands anyways?" Spyro asked.

"There were caves in which our weaker ones could live...but it's apparent we need to return to the surface. Soon, young Dragon, we will." she replied. The Bandits, Arden, and other town employees were seated around a large table with plates of steaming food before them.

"Glacia, how are all these Dragons related to the Guardians?" he asked. The night before, many of them had mentioned relation to them but he had no specifics.

"Aside from the father of Cyrillus and Blaine being Blaze, the brother of Ignitus, Amperion's mother is Volteer's sister, and Arden is Terrador's brother. There are other, more distant cousins and nieces and nephews here as well."

Spyro and Glacia joined the others around the table.

"I've told Spyro his mission." Glacia announced to Arden.

"I don't know how I feel about dealing with the Mandars once again, Glacia..." Arden said. "They've never been anything but trouble and danger."

"That reminds me, Spyro." Glacia produced a small scroll. "This contains enough of the Mandars' code for you to get inside their ranks. And Arden, you hardly ever dealt with them; I was the one who contacted them and negotiated with them. I know who we can trust and the Mandars are still trustworthy."

"If you say so..." he muttered. "I was going to say Spyro could just lure Lucius to the ocean and throw him over a cliff."

The Dragons resumed eating breakfast, and as soon as they were done Spyro and the Bandits were sent off. Before they left, Arden called them together in a circle.

"Spirits," he began, all of them closing their eyes and bowing their heads. "we pray that you would keep these young Dragons under your watch as they undertake their final mission. Grant them your speed and your power, your wisdom and your courage. Spirits, look after us all." They lifted their heads and flew out into the exit of the caverns, diving into the icy waters once more.

* * *

Sorry for taking so long with this! I needed a break from thought over vacation.

You'll see that danger and action will ensue in the following chapters very shortly.

Review!

SP.


	35. Mandars

Under cover of a cloak and darkness, a shadowy figure crept through the streets of the city. In this part of town, the buildings were old, windows were boarded up, and suspicious characters wandered and congregated in the streets. He stopped in front of a tired, run-down building with the sign "Tavern" dully painted on the awning. This was the place. He paced to the door, where a tall, massive Cheetah with a ring in his nose and silver holes in his ears stood beside it.

"'oo're you?" he spat, his voice deep and hoarse.

"I'm here for the Chieftain." the cloaked figure muttered.

"'e's been dead for years, fuck off."

"A warrior never backs down and a Mandar always steps forwards."

The secret passcode had worked; the huge Cheetah stepped aside and he entered. The tavern was dimly lit and filled with foul and sweet-smelling smoke. The patrons of the bar looked terrifying, their skin tattooed and fur dyed. Many had pierced noses, brows, mouths and ears. It truly looked as if a tribe from long ago in the jungles had been transplanted into a smoky tavern. The cloaked figure walked to the bartender.

"Wot? You wanna drink?" he asked.

"I need the Chieftain. The lizards need to be tamed again."

"Fuckin' 'ell! The lizards are still around?" he exclaimed. "It's been like ten fuckin' years!"

"We've gotten by." he pulled the hood of his cloak back to reveal his purple face.

The Bartender called a fierce-looking Cheetah over, who led Spyro to a door on the back wall of the tavern. He opened it and Spyro walked in. An exceedingly old-looking Cheetah sat at a desk, cigarette in his mouth, studiously examining some papers in his paws. Despite his age, this Cheetah had silver studs running along the edges of his ears, culminating in hugely stretched lobes lined with silver. A silver wire ran straight through his nose like a barbell. Two metal rings embraced his lips.

"Chieftain." Spyro bowed his head.

"Who are you?" he asked tiredly. He looked up with tired, pale blue eyes.

"I've come from the Dragons underground."

"They're still around?" he seemed surprised.

"Yes, but they need your help."

"I can't make any promises. What is it?"

"We need your warriors. The Cloaked Bandits, I'm sure you've figured out, are Dragons. They're perched on top of Beauport Tower right now, ready to free the Mayor and all the other prisoners and flush out the entire Royal Guard. That means Captain Lucius is going down. But we can't do this on our own. Now is the time for rebellion. You can lead your men out of building tonight and run this town tomorrow, or you can stay here and tomorrow the Cyndrists will keep running Beauport."

"The Mandars are no longer warriors." the Cheetah sighed. "We've been driven so far underground that we must operate as thugs, as common henchmen, as street punks. No longer are my Cheetahs trained in the ancient arts or our people."

"Then now is the time for change!" Spyro said. "Now is when your thugs and punks can become warriors! Now is when they will be legendary once more, for toppling this rule of oppression!"

The old Cheetah stood up from his desk slowly.

"Come." he instructed. "Your words have great power." He opened the door and stepped out. All in the tavern turned to see; his stepping out always signaled something important. Everyone went quiet.

"Mandars!" He boomed, his tired voice swelling to fill the room. "We have lived as the scum of this city in the safety of my tavern for years. When the Guard took over, our business plummeted. Many of us are struggling to get by still. We and our families have suffered because of this opression. But tonight, we have one chance to regain the honor of our ancestors, and show our valor as warriors by toppling the city and its cruel, Cyndrist usurpers of power."

He continued. "Tonight, Dragons, who we thought were dead and gone, are freeing the Mayor and all the prisoners in Beauport Tower, many of whom are our friends and allies. Tonight, havoc will be wreaked in the streets of this city, but it is up to us to kill the Guardsmen and Lucius and regain our freedom. Tonight, Tonight, we may die, but we will do so for the City, for our families, for our Ancestors, and for the Mandars! Who is with me?"

The whole crowd erupted into cheers and roars. A glint of pride shone in the Chieftain's eyes the Spyro could tell had been gone for so long. He called several Cheetahs over and they all returned to the office. One pulled a map off of the bookshelf and unrolled it on the desk, revealing the layout of the city.

"How the hell are we doing this?" One asked.

"Listen to the Dragon." the Chieftain replied.

"When the clock strikes 12, I'll be leading Lucius and his guards out of the Tower. We'll be headed towards the Main Plaza. When we arrive, we need people coming out of the market here, from behind Town Hall, and sealing off the streets and alleyways here, here, and here." Spyro said, pointing at the map.

"What if we had some on the rooftops?" another pointed at the buildings surrounding the plaza. "That way we know no one's getting out and no one's getting in."

"And then we can go in for the kill." another added.

"Good. Andries, you take your men and form an arc blocking off this street and this alley." the Chieftain pointed to one Cheetah and then down at the map. "Arjen, you will take yours and cover the roofs. Josef and Hendrick, you'll have to cover the other alleys and the street with your men. Any questions?" They all shook their heads. "Good. Be in position by midnight. If anyone tries to stop you in your task..."

"...Kill them." the four Cheetahs answered.

"Standard procedure." the old Chieftain chuckled. "Now go, gather your men. Take to the streets and find any able sympathizers. Tonight, we take this city as our prize. Tomorrow, be we dead or victorious, we will be free."

"Mandars!" they all chanted, their paws meeting over the desk. Spyro hid himself within his cloak once more and exited the office and the tower. He disappeared within the shadows of the streets once more.

Eventually, he reached Beauport Tower. He hadn't bothered to look when he left it in Lucius' carriage, but now seeing it dimly lit by light of lantern, he saw how menacing and foreboding the structure was .It stood out among the other buildings, the tallest in the city. He swallowed whatever fear was brewing in his chest and lightly paced to the door. It was unlocked. They were expecting him.

The clock tower in the main plaza, several blocks away, erupted with noise that filled the empty streets. Spyro nearly jumped. He was scared, no doubt. What would he do if anything had happened to Cynder? Would she forgive him for leaving her? Would they all make it out alive? This was a dangerous mission where he would take on a huge amount of enemies he had no experience with.

He had to do it. He stepped through the door. The main entryway led to a huge lobby, where one Guardsmen sat at a desk, trying not to fall asleep. Spyro stepped up to the desk, removed his hood, and spoke as low as he could.

"Tell Lucius I'm here."

* * *

Today's a snow day for me, so expect the next chapter up in a matter of hours.

Expect action, unless I drag it out with some other plot twist.

Thanks for reading, and please please please review!

SP.


	36. Battles

"You took long enough." The Cheetah said, his voice cold and gruff.

"I still have a few hours to spare." the Dragon replied.

"Where are they?"

"There's an old, dilapidated building on the edge of the city. They've been hiding in some extensive dungeons underneath it."

"The old prison?"

"I couldn't say; I don't know exactly where it is."

"We'll follow you there."

"We have to go now."

"Now?" the Cheetah asked. "You came at an inopportune time. The Guards are switching shifts."

"They mentioned something about leaving town soon. We can't wait another second."

"Fine. Sirius!" He shouted at the Cheetah who had brought Spyro to his office. "Gather my squadron."

"Yes, sir." he muttered weakly and dashed off. Lucius got up from behind his desk and cracked his knuckles. Wordlessly, they left the room and went down the flights of stairs until they were in the lobby. Twenty-four huge, armor-laden Cheetahs awaited them, looking almost as fierce as the Mandar commanders.

"Take us straight there, Dragon." he said. "Make it quick; the sooner we get back, the less time this tower will be undefended."

They left the Tower and Spyro led them down one of the main thoroughfares of the city, Lucius practically breathing down his neck and the Guardsmen not far behind. After going for several blocks, Spyro stopped. He was in the dead center of the Main Plaza. He could see eyes on the rooftops and shadows pouring out from the streets and alleys. Luckily, the Guardsmen didn't seem to notice.

"What is it, Dragon?" Lucius spat.

"Hmm. I can't quite remember which street to take." Spyro feigned confusion. Lucius drew his sword and pointed the tip at Spyro's neck.

"Well, start remembering." the Cheetah muttered coldly. Spyro drew a deep breath and shouted.

"ATTACK!"

As the Dragon rolled backwards from the sword, the shadows around him charged forward. They Guardsmen turned to see the decorated Mandar warriors in a circle surrounding them, wielding spears, bows, axes, hammers, swords, and a variety of makeshift weapons that looked especially deadly. They stopped suddenly as more slid down ropes from the rooftops. There were ten times as many Mandars here as Spyro saw in the tavern. One from the roofs stepped forwards as the circle parted for him. The Cheetahs inside were still paralyzed with fright.

"Brother." the approaching one said.

"Brother." Lucius replied. The other looked up. It was the Chieftain. "The years have not been good to you." All who were present looked shocked, some gasping. It was true; Spyro could see their same blue fur and blue eyes, and aside from the piercings and markings the two of them had nearly the same face. They were certainly brothers.

"If not for whatever dark magic you use to sustain yourself, I could say the same." the Chieftain smirked.

"I suppose this is the last time we'll see each other then?" Lucius asked.

"Without a doubt." the Chieftain agreed. He shouted, "Mandars!"

"Guardsmen!" Lucius cried out. "Attack!"

"Attack!"

The Guardsmen rushed out towards those surrounding them and drew their weapons. The Mandars brandished theirs, staring the enemies down. One of the Guards plunged his sword into the chest of the Mandar in front of him, only to be greeted with a sharp "crack!". The Mandar smiled and pulled two curved swords out from sheathes on his back. The Guard's sword was broken in half. The Mandars were wearing armor of stone and metal beneath their clothes. The Mandars swung their axes and hammers into their armored enemies, denting the metal and crushing whatever was inside, head, limb or torso alike. Others expertly plunged swords and spears into the cracks between armor plates. Mandars on the roofs shot arrows straight into heads. With hardly any men injured, the Mandars seemed to be dominating.

However, bad luck seemed to come their way, in the form of more Guardsmen coming from the direction of the tower. Someone must have gotten away and called in reinforcements. Spyro noticed that less arrows were coming from the rooftops; the archers must have encountered their own foes on the roofs. When those in the middle of the ring were vanquished, the Mandars turned to fearlessly face their approaching enemies. They charged, shouting fiercely.

Suddenly, several of the charging Guards flew into the air. Pillars of stone had pushed them off the ground with explosive force. Spyro had to fight somehow. He dashed ahead of the Mandars and dove deep into the crowd of Guards, surrounding himself with a ball of flame and unleashing a Fury of fire that scalded the enemy and burnt some to ash. He turned quickly when he was done, throwing breaths of ice where the enemy ran, freezing some into blocks and making the others slip and slide. Thinking quickly, he shot a breath of lightning into the icy ground, where the electricity conducted towards the enemy and shocked several to death. Hardly any were left. He returned to the back of the pack of Mandars, where some lay injured and few lay dead. He could see the Chieftain, an arrow through his chest where the armor must have cracked, stumbling. He fell to the ground, and Spyro ran to him.

"Lucius got away." he said, sounding strained. Spyro could see that more blood was rushing out from both ends of the wound with every heartbeat. "Promise me you'll kill him."

"I will." Spyro almost whispered.

"Listen." the old Cheetah said, sounding weaker with every breath. "Many years ago, I had a son. His mother took him to live in Avalar when he was very young, where he could be safe. I have had many sons and daughters, but he was my firstborn, and he is the true heir to the Chieftain of the Mandars. You must find him and tell him what has become of me."

"I will, Chieftain."

"His...his name was..." he was struggling to breathe. "...It was...Hunter." He shut his eyes, and Spyro lay his head down.

Spyro made a mental note. Now, he thought, was the time to get back to the Tower. Then, he'd find Lucius, tell Hunter, and get back to Warfang. Priorities, priorities. He flew over the few remaining combatants and raced to the tower. He saw a hole in the roof, knowing that the Bandits had already entered successfully. He decided to go in through the lobby entrance, and as he did the four Dragons were just coming down the stairs.

"Good timing, huh?" Cyrillus laughed. "Come on, the basement's this way." He followed them down a hall to a locked door, where Arda shattered the lock with a flurry of stone. A long flight of stairs greeted them, and they all raced down to find a dimly-lit hall of stone, with iron bars forming cells. Mostly Cheetahs lay behind the bars, but some Atlawa, some Moles, and even a few Apes were held prisoner as well.

"How do we know which ones are imprisoned unjustly?" Amperion asked.

"Screw it, let's free them all." Blaine said. One by one, they melted, shattered, or broke the bars, freeing the very grateful prisoners. They descended another flight of stairs, and another, freeing every last prisoner. Finally, they were met with one last door, at the end of a dark, cold hallway. It was covered with numerous locks and was made of thick iron. The Bandits waited behind Spyro. He encased his clenched paws in rocky earth and punched the metal door with all his might. He punched it again and again, and finally it fell right over. He walked in to find the same dark, dank cell he was held in days ago. Instead of Cynder, he found a puddle of red liquid that he hoped was washed-off Pyrium, and a note. Upon inspection, it was hastily scribbled upon.

"Too late. Have Cynder. You've failed. -Lucius"

Spyro whipped his head around to see a huge hole in the wall behind him, where the sewer rushed by. Lucius was gone. He had Cynder. And he wanted to sacrifice her to get her dark energy. Before any of the Bandits could even say anything, he took off into the sewer and flew as fast as he possibly could.

* * *

Dun-dun-dun!

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what happens next!

Two updates, one day; it reminds me of the good old days.

Peace out,

SP.


	37. Worries

Cynder didn't often get scared. She had laid waste to armies, ruined cities, and destroyed Malefor. But now, she was scared. She had spent nearly two days shackled to the cold stone wall, waking up soon after Spyro left, but she had no clue where he was. For all she knew, he could have been dead. Then, a few hours before, she noticed that the dye on her scales was running away. A guard came down to her cell and saw her black scales, and instantly recognized her. Without a word he ran, and fetched Lucius from his battle with the Mandars. She heard him muttering something about sacrifices and power, but otherwise she had no clue where he was taking her or what he intended to do.

Outside the sack that she was bound and gagged in, Lucius and a small army of Guardsmen and other Cyndrists rode in carriages and on horseback to their destination. It was thought that the act of extracting the darkness from Cynder could only be done at the ruins of Mount Malefor, underneath which Malefor was trapped forever. However, to perform the ceremony, it had been deemed necessary to possess the Staff of Gaul, which allowed the Ape King to wield magic and would presumably allow Lucius to wield it too. The Staff was in the possession of the Assassin, Gaul's second-in-command and a skilled warrior thought to have died. In exchange for money, gems and weapons, the Apes were willing to give up this staff, believing all its power to be drained or unusable anyways.

Their envoy traveled as silently as possible through the plains between Beauport and Mount Malefor. The mountain was to the south and west of Warfang, and Beauport was to the east of Warfang, so they would have to go around the city to get to their destination.

Spyro shot up from the sewers, into the sky. He had no clue where Lucius might be or what exactly he'd do with Cynder. He didn't know where to fly, but he was so full of anger and desperation he just flew in no particular direction as fast and furiously as he could. Through the rage, he felt a tiring sensation come upon him. Before he could register the familiar sensation, he slipped into sleep, plummeting like a rock towards the ground below.

"What is it now?" He woke with a start in the familiar ominous world of the Chronicler.

"Spyro, you mustn't let your emotions get the better of you. You'll become reckless and your darker side will give in."

"I need to find her!" he screamed to the invisible voice. "Where is she?"

"Patience, young dragon. Lucius has taken her to the top of Mount Malefor. But beware. You will not find only Cheetahs there."

"What else would be there? Grublins? Apes? Anything else easy?" he scoffed.

"In a few hours, Lucius and his cult will have access to enough Dark energy to rival Malefor. And remember, even you couldn't defeat Malefor by yourself."

"Okay." he said impatiently. "I can just stop him before he gets access to the energy. It can't be that hard."

"You're getting too confident." Ignitus' voice said. "Beware, Spyro."

With that, he woke. The day was breaking. He had wasted too much time.

Meanwhile, in Warfang, the Dragons were awaking. Most were tired from rising so early, but Ember felt especially sick. Her head throbbed, her back ached, and her stomach churned. As she nearly fell out of her bed, she tried to think what caused her pain. Had she eaten some bad food? No; she was fine the night before. Caught a bug going around? No; everyone else was healthy.

It dawned on her as fright startled her awake. Was she pregnant?

"Oh, gods." she cried out, grasping her head in her paws. What had she been thinking? The reality of the past few days seemed to hit her over the head. She had mated with Flame. With Flame, of all people. And she was probably going to have their child. She was hardly a teenager, hardly a suitable candidate for motherhood. Even if she was, she didn't want to resign herself to raising young dragons when she herself was still so young. A few days of reckless love with a childhood friend might ruin the rest of her life. She knew she had to get downstairs, but she was still deep in thought as she joined the other Dragons in the main room. The Guardians gave some little speech before they left, but she hardly heard it. When they went outside and lifted off, she stretched her sore wings and, with a wince, flew with the others towards the Temple. As she trailed towards the back of the pack, Flame tried to join her.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, worried.

"Nothing."

"Something's wrong." he said. "I can tell."

"Really, Flame. It's nothing at all."

"You can tell me. I wanna know."

She took a deep breath and sighed.

"Flame, I think I'm pregnant." His face washed over with horror, but then it subsided.

"How can you tell?"

"Trust me, I'm pretty sure."

"What are we gonna do?"

"I..." she wondered. "I don't know. We can't tell the Guardians. We can't tell anyone."

"But the Guardians can help us!"

"They'd just punish us and make us go through with it. I'm not ready to be a mom yet. And you're not ready to be a dad yet either. We can't go through with this."

"I know. Whatever you want to do, I'm with you."

She didn't feel like talking anymore, so they just flew silently beside each other as the sun rose behind them.

* * *

I just read this story from beginning to here and I hate it.

I kind of don't want to finish this. At all.

The plot is dumb, no joke.

Kay.

Review it.

SP.


	38. Setting

The envoy of Dragons landed in the valley of the Dragon Temple right as the sun began to shine into it. It was atop a small hill, with a large stream running beside it, and aside from the few cracks and chips, it looked as if it had been built brand new right on that spot. However, being perched on a hillside gave it quite a different appearance than it had buried in the swamps.

The doors opened for them, still intact, and they entered. Blaze lit the torches that used to light the main foyer with a breath of flame. There were some holes in the domed roof that let in beams of light, revealing how dusty the air was.

"Structurally, the Temple seems fine." Terrador commented. "The rest, well, nothing that can't be fixed."

They went through the rooms quietly, as if fearing something were already in the Temple. The foyers, atria, gardens, halls, dormitories, and training grounds all seemed to be intact and, for the most part, functional.

"I rather like it." Cyril said. "The atmosphere here is finer than the murky, bug-ridden swamp."

"While I'm still rather unaccustomed to it, I feel as if, in due time, I could come to appreciate both the location and the ambiance quite more than the original!" Volteer added. No one seemed to notice that Ember and Flame had gone missing from the pack.

"It's got to be down one of these halls!"

"You're sure the scroll wouldn't be in Ignitus' personal collection?"

"Pretty sure." Flame replied, panting. "I can't recall it." The two Dragons were running down one of the hallways, browsing in each door and leaving quickly. He stopped in front of a set of grand wooden doors with the word "LIBRARY" engraved above them. "Found it!" he called back.

The two of them pushed the squeaking door open to reveal a dimly lit army of shelves, lined with scrolls and books as far as they could see.

"Okay, now where would it be?"

"This section seems off-limits." Flame pointed towards a section blocked off by a glass door. "I'm guessing this is the place." They opened the door gently and entered the room of books and scrolls, as they began browsing and taking texts off the shelves.

"Ugh..." Ember exclaimed. "Some of these are just...repulsive!" Flame peered over her shoulder at the book she had opened.

"It's not that bad..." he smirked. Shuffling through a few more, he stopped on one.

"Hey, look!" he called out. He began reading from the book in his paw. "...and while there are numerous surgical procedures for eliminating a pregnancy before the egg is laid, one certain medicinal way consists of drinking a brew containing the petals of the Jade Lily and the bark of the Satyr's Vine..."

"...Both of which are found in the swamps of the Silver River." Ember completed the phrase, looking at the scroll too.

"Aren't the Silver River swamps where the Dragon Temple used to be?" Flame asked.

"Yeah. Wouldn't that mean that, to get this stuff..."

"...We'd have to go to where the Temple used to be..."

"...Which is the top of Mount Malefor." Ember finished. They thought silently for a while.

"We've gotta get back to the group. They've probably already noticed we're gone." Flame broke in through the silence.

"Yeah. Jade Lily, Satyr's Vine. Got it." Ember muttered. They ran back through the doors and into the hall.

Spyro was still in the forest where he had crashed, and was hunched over on a fallen log, trying to calm himself. It pained him to think he could be finding Cynder now, but he knew it was necessary that he be in control of himself before he faced Lucius again. His enemy would be nearly as powerful as Malefor, and he'd have to take Lucius on alone, without the help of Cynder or the Dragon Spirits who defeated the Dark Master.

He was scared. But nonetheless he stood up, took a deep breath and took to the sky, pointing towards Mount Malefor. He'd reach it by midnight.

"When do you wanna head to the mountain?" Flame asked Ember, having sneaked back into the pack of Dragons in the temple.

"Tonight, I guess." She thought. "They'll notice if we leave during the day."

"We'll head there for midnight, then."

In Lucius' caravan, the Cheetah read through an astrological chart.

"The Night of Eternal Darkness only occurs so often." he said, half to himself and half to the restrained Cynder in the luggage hold. "We're fortunate enough to have this one take place only four years after the last. And we're especially fortunate to have found our sacrifice right before it."

"The eclipse strikes at midnight, tonight." he said. "And we'll be ready."

* * *

Short, sweet, sets the scene.

I'm gonna finish the story. It can only get better now, right?

It recently occurred to me that I have two things non-canon:

1. I've been calling the volcano where the Swamp used to be "Mountain of Malefor" when Mount Malefor was really where Twilight Falls was in DotD (i.e. Well of Souls.) When I say Mountain of Malefor, I'm referring to the volcano, not the Well of Souls.

2. So I overlooked the fact that there were Dragons defending Warfang in DotD. In this story it was just Moles and Cheetahs. We'll just pretend we never saw the Dragons, kay?

Thanks for the reviews guys!

SP.


	39. Summit

The day descended into night. The young Dragons at the Temple would begin helping with the repairs the next day, and had each been assigned dormitories in the block of rooms closest to the main foyer. Once Flame was sure all the others were asleep, and he couldn't hear any footsteps outside his door, he opened his window and flew out. He was startled to see Gaia flying towards Surgio's room and Cyprin towards Volta's, but silently he nodded at his friends as he entered Ember's window.

She was lying in her bed, looking asleep, but as Flame drew closer she murmured,

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah." At that, she slid out from under the sheets and they went out the window towards the mountain towering over the valley.

"Did you know Surg and Gaia were together?" Flame asked, when they were far enough away from the Temple to talk.

"Yep."

"What about Cyprin and Volta?"

"Yep. You didn't?"

"Well..." Flame said. "I mean I guessed it would happen...How do you know?"

"Us girls, we talk."

"So they know about us then?"

"No."

"Aha."

The two of them quickly approached the summit of the volcano. They found only black earth in the caldera of the now-dormant volcano, but along one of the ridges they found patches of thick, rich grass, healthy from the ashy ground. The air was thin, and they could hear and feel wind being whipped up around them. They saw the moons beginning to align, but paid no attention, and began looking for the two plants.

"Jade Lily and Satyr's Vine...right?" Ember asked.

"Heck, I don't know. I figured you'd remember."

"Do you even remember what they look like?"

They stopped as they heard something aside from the wind. It sounded like carriage wheels. They looked over the ridge of the caldera, creeping silently to watch. Several carriages were stopped in the bowl of the volcano. The passengers got out, and Ember and Flame were surprised to see that they were Cheetahs.

"What are they doing here?" Ember whispered.

"No clue..." Flame whispered back.

When the Cheetahs were outside, the Dragons were startled to hear footsteps coming from the mountain. As they ducked behind a large rock to escape the sight of whatever was coming, they didn't expect to see around 50 of the hugest, fiercest Ape commanders coming up the mountain.

"What the hell?" Flame asked quietly.

Half expecting to see some kind of battle, they watched as the Apes and the Cheetahs in the caldera met peacefully, the terrifying cloaked Ape shaking hands with the blue Cheetah.

"What's going on?" Ember muttered nervously. The Cheetah opened up one of the carriages to reveal huge burlap sacks. The Ape untied one and pulled out some of its contents. A fistful of gems was revealed, shards of blue, green and red trickling between the Ape's fingers. All the bags in the carriage were dumped onto the ground, where Apes took them over their shoulders. Now, the cloaked Ape produced a delicately wrapped object, one that looked long in shape. The Cheetah snatched it and carefully unwrapped it, revealing a long iron staff with a slender green crystal, glowing with magic, set in the top.

The Apes left, their loot in tow. While this transaction had been going on, Cheetahs had been setting up torches and what looked to be an altar of black stone. The blue one produced a large bag from the back of the carriage and dumped its contents onto the altar.

"Is that..." Flame gasped.

"Cynder!" Ember whispered. They were right; the black dragoness was bound, gagged, and lying still and fearful on this altar. The torches lit, and the light of the moon seemed to fade away.

"What are we gonna do?" Flame asked worriedly.

"I...I don't know! There's so many of them!" Ember thought.

As the two of them watched on in horror, the blue Cheetah proceeded. All the others were silent.

"Spirits of Darkness!" he called out, raising the staff above his head as those behind him bowed. "Come to us, and grant us your power! Tonight, on this Night of Eternal Darkness, we shall take the darkness from this Dragon, a traitor of your force, and complete the quest no others could complete! We shall create a new world!"

Cynder whimpered as he aimed the glowing staff at her heart.

"Be still, sacrifice." he growled. He closed his eyes, and with a crash a beam of dark purple light seemed to be drawn from Cynder's chest. As he drew this energy out, though, the sound of something racing through the wind drew his attention. His attention came a second too late, and the Cheetah was struck to the ground.

"What?" he shouted. "Who dares..." but again he was cut off by a blow to the head. The flash materialized before him.

"Spyro!" Flame whispered excitedly. The purple dragon was standing before the Cheetah on the ground.

"You're not getting away this time, Lucius." Spyro said. "I'm making sure of it myself."

"You can certainly try." the Cheetah smirked. He whipped his body upright, set the staff down by the altar and produced a sword.

A breath of flame shot but missed as Lucius rolled out of the way. Shards of ice flew towards him but the sword blocked and shattered each one before it could hit him. Spyro decided to try something new, pressing his fists to the ground and coating them with the black rocky earth. As he got up, Lucius swung for his head, but he ducked away and got upright, brandishing his weaponized arms.

The sword swung again, but was met by a forearm as hard as steel blocking it. Again, another stab and swing were blocked by the arms of earth. Spyro wound up to punch, and was met with the sword blocking his attack. His arm and Lucius' sword seemed trapped in a deadlock, when suddenly his other fist smashed into the sword with explosive force, shattering the metal into a million shards.

"Dammit!" the Cheetah called out to the onlooking crowd. "Don't just stand there! Do something!" The crowd reluctantly drew their swords, and Spyro took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and prepared to unleash a fury of fire. The ball of flame expanded around him, and exploded, scorching the approaching crowd. They didn't proceed. Lucius had stepped out of the way, and grabbed the staff from behind the altar.

The staff's green crystal seemed to have thick, black smoke swirling around inside it.

"I still have enough energy to do what must be done!" Lucius shouted.

"And I'd never let you do it." Spyro thundered.

"Spirits of Darkness, accept the sacrifice of this traitor to your force!" He raised the sharpened base of the staff right above Cynder, who shrieked through her gag. Spyro charged, the world around him slowing as he threw himself into the Cheetah's arm.

Spyro looked up. The moons had eclipsed in a position familiar to him. The Night of Eternal Darkness had begun. The winded Cheetah got up from the ground and swung at Spyro's head as he was distracted, throwing him to the ground.

"You can't get in the way any more, Dragon." he growled, and aimed the jewel teeming with darkness at his own heart.

Spyro knew he wouldn't be able to make it quick enough. As the darkness began to enter Lucius, he was knocked to the ground. Spyro looked in awe as Ember and Flame got up from behind him, and ran over as he got up.

"More of you?" he cried. The jewel was still emitting the stream of dark energy, but it seemed to waft in the air like smoke. Lucius slammed the staff into Ember's side, the darkness seeping into her as he did.

"You're dead!" Flame roared as he saw what had happened to Ember. He jumped on the Cheetah's back, drawing huge gashes in his chest with his claws, making Lucius shriek as he shook the dragon off. Spyro hurled a ball of stone at his head with explosive force, and he was knocked to his feet.

Spyro walked to where he lie, and picked up his staff laying on the ground.

"You're not hurting anyone any longer." he stated half to Lucius and half to the staff, smashing the jewel on the ground. Lucius only looked on and cowered as Spyro stabbed the sharp base right through his forehead.

He walked away, the corpse bleeding profusely. He raced over to Cynder to untie her.

"Cynder, I'm so sorry." He cried to her. "I never should have left you in the tower, I never should have made you come to the city, I never should have let this happen to you..."

"Spyro." she stopped him. "I love you." She pressed her muzzle into his and they kissed for what seemed like an eternity.

Flame rushed over to where Ember lay on the ground.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah...I'm fine." she muttered.

"Are you sure?" Flame asked. "It looked like you got hit pretty badly, and that dark energy couldn't have felt too good."

"No, no, I don't feel anything. I'm fine."

"If you say so..." he seemed concerned. Ember was unusually quiet.

"We should head back before the Guardians notice we've been gone." Flame called out to Spyro and Cynder. "We have to get back to the Temple."

"The Temple?" Spyro asked. "You guys moved while we were gone?"

"Well...That's not the only thing that's changed while you were gone." he leaned over to kiss Ember.

"Let's go, then. It looks like it's almost morning."

* * *

Almost at the end!

Keep on reading and reviewing!

SP


	40. Possession

It was late in the night, and she was back at the Temple, but she couldn't fall asleep. She was just laying in her bed, staring at the stone of the ceiling.

"Why aren't I tired?" she thought to herself.

"Because I'm here." a voice in her head seemed to say. She looked around her room, scared, to find the source of the noise, but there was none.

"What?" she thought aloud.

"I'm here." the voice said again. "I've always been inside you, Ember."

"Who are you?"

"I'm you. I'm a part of your mind. I'm the Darkness."

The dark energy from the staff. It was in her. Ember knew she had to tell the Guardians. She jolted up and raced towards the doors, but a sharp pain in both her legs sent her crashing to the ground.

"You can't escape me, Ember. I'm in control now."

"What do you want?" she cried.

"You're going to kill Spyro."

"What?"

"He's too large a threat to the Darkness. He has to be destroyed. And Cynder, well, she comes first. She was too weak, her commitment to the Darkness was not strong enough and she failed her task of bringing forth Malefor. You must kill her first."

"I won't! I can't do it!" she sobbed.

"That's what you think. Hmm...I can tell you'll be just fine..."

Ember let out a small shriek as she felt a dark, heavy sensation flood from her head down to her hindpaws, and she seemed to be unplugged from reality, as if she were just sitting and watching the world unfold before her. The Darkness was in control.

Spyro and Cynder went through the chamber where Spyro had trained his Earth element. The door at the end of the chamber was closed, so he knocked, and after a few seconds it opened and out stepped a very tired-looking Earth Guardian.

"What...what is it?" he murmured, rubbing his eyes.

"We're back." Spyro said.

"Oh, Ancestors, it's you two. I'm glad you're back." he yawned. "But I'm also angry. And tired. Pick a room and sleep, this can wait until morning."

"Okay." the two of them left him and returned to the hall of dormitories, picked the closest unoccupied one, and walked in.

"You're sure we should be sleeping together?" Spyro asked.

"He didn't say no." The two of them got into the bed, Cynder's head burying itself in Spyro's chest.

"I'm so sorry, Cynder. I never should have left you alone in the tower."

"I forgive you. You did what you had to do."

"Are you alright? Did Lucius hurt you?"

"I'm fine. I feel perfect. Just tired." She inched her head up his neck and pecked him on the lips. "You need to stop worrying so much, babe."

"I'll try."

The next morning came quick enough. Spyro was woken up early and called into one of the training chambers. The Guardians, and Blaze, were awaiting him.

"We need to know what you did while you were gone." Terrador instructed him. Spyro told them how they had decided to visit the sea, how they had been captured, how he had found his way to the Dragons beneath the sea, how he freed the prisoners, and saved Cynder at the mountaintop.

"Dragons beneath Beauport?" Cyril exclaimed.

"So there are others out there..." Blaze muttered. "Spyro, do you remember any of the Dragons who were there?"

"Yes!" he said. "Terrador, your brother Arden is the Chieftain of the Dragons!"

"My brother..." the Earth Guardian muttered. "Arden..."

"And Volteer, your sister, she was there, her son was one of the Bandits!"

"Really?" he exclaimed. "Astounding!"

"And..." he stopped. If he told Cyril and Blaze that Glacia was still alive, what would happen? Would they fight for her love again? "...And there are some more distant relatives as well, but there's hundreds of them!" Blaze and Cyril both looked dejected.

"When will they be coming back?" Terrador asked.

"I don't know when. But I had told them we were in Warfang..." Spyro replied. The Guardians looked at each other uncomfortably. "What?"

"It's nothing. We'll have the Moles direct them to the Temple." Cyril replied hurriedly.

"Now, Spyro, normally there would be a harsh punishment in store for disobeying our rules. We're going to let this slide, so long as you are on your best behavior while you're here. You'll be expected to more than carry your weight in this construction process."

"Which brings us back to the matter at hand." Cyril said. "In order for us to repair or rebuild anything, we need supplies. Sandstone, mortar, tools, bricks, et cetera."

"And we have no means of payment either." Volteer added. "Normally I'd say, with Beauport being liberated, we could secure the purchase of such supplies from them."

"True." Terrador nodded. "We have no money. How are we going to do this?" The Guardians and Blaze thought silently for a long time.

"There's sandstone at the quarry outside of Warfang!" Spyro said. "I'm sure they'd let us use it. And tools, well, Munitions Forge should be up and running, I'm sure the Moles there would be more than happy to let us use their supplies."

"You're right!" Terrador exclaimed.

"Then we need to go there and get what we need soon, before all the Dragons start running off..." Cyril scowled.

"I'll go." Terrador said. "I spent some time traveling there with Ignitus some years ago, and I'm pretty familiar with the place. Blaze, would you care to join me?" Blaze and Ignitus had grown up around Munitions Forge before coming to the temple as children.

"As much as I would, I feel I have to be here to manage the young ones." Blaze replied.

"I'd be happy to accompany you!" Volteer lit up.

"Then it's decided. We'll be leaving shortly, and I'm assuming we'll be back in about three days' time." Terrador said. "Cyril, I'm leaving you in charge. Have the dragons start cleaning the place up."

The Earth and Electric Guardians left. It just occurred to Cyril that he was now left alone with Blaze, and he seemed to get nervous.

"Erm...well, then, I suppose the young ones are waking up now." He stuttered, and walked out, Blaze and Spyro following wordlessly. Cyril called all the dragons into the main hall.

"For the next few days, you'll be cleaning this place up to prepare for construction. Since this is at the center of the Temple, I believe it's best to work our way from here to the outer areas."

As Cyril instructed them further, Cynder inched her way over to Spyro.

"How'd it go?" she whispered.

"They just told me to behave."

"Really? That's it?"

"That's it."

"No punishment?"

"We just have to work as hard as everyone else around here."

"Well, we got a sweet deal then."

Meanwhile, Flame had made his way over to Ember.

"Hey, I just realized we never got those plants from the mountaintop before we left." he whispered.

"Mmm." she grumbled apathetically. Her gaze was locked on Spyro and Cynder, who were talking in front of her.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"You seem...off."

"Just tired."

"Oh."

When Cyril had finished talking, the other four dragons huddled.

"I was thinking..." Cyprin whispered. "Since there's only two Guardians, and we'll just be doing busy work for the next few days...Tonight's the night we check out what's going on in Warfang."

"Good plan, man!" Surgio patted him on the back roughly.

"Are you sure now's the best time?" Gaia said cautiously. "All Hunter said was that something was gonna happen soon."

"Well, if there's nothing there tonight, then we come back tomorrow night." Surgio said. "Easy."

"Cyril said to split up into pairs and start cleaning, right?" Cynder asked. She and Spyro had wandered down one of countless hallways.

"I have no clue, but so long as he isn't yelling at us, we're safe." Spyro chuckled. They wandered aimlessly and wordlessly for a long time, before Spyro finally broke the silence. "Cynder, I've been thinking. What are we going to do with our lives?" She thought long before replying.

"I don't know. You'll probably end up being Guardian of some element, training drakes here at the Temple..."

"Guardians can't have mates." Spyro cut her off mid-sentence.

"Crap." she muttered.

"That's what I mean, Cynder. What will we both do with ourselves?"

"Spyro." she sighed. "If there's one thing I know about you that no one else does, it's that you worry way too much. When I was...under Malefor's power, I ended so many lives without thought. Now, I know that we have to live our lives one day at a time, without spending so much time worrying about the future. Before you know it, you'll have spent so much time worrying that the future will be gone. We'll do whatever we feel like with our lives, because we saved the world and now we can enjoy it."

"I guess you're right." Spyro confessed. "I've spent the last few years looking forwards, seeing what would happen when I defeated the next enemy. Now they're all gone."

"And now we can do whatever we want. In a few months, this place will be repaired completely and full of more Dragons than we've ever seen. Pretty soon, we won't be needed any more, and we'll be totally free to do whatever we want."

* * *

This has an awkward feel to me, I don't usually write chapters that cross over days nor do I abruptly end them.

Nonetheless, I've got the entire end played out in my head, so it's just a matter of time 'til I get it all out here in text form.

Thanks for reading!

SP.


	41. Timing

The day was uneventful. All 8 dragons cleaned up rubble and took note of which walls and ceilings needed fixing. Cyril stayed away from Blaze, as did Ember from Spyro and Cynder. Flame had noticed she was unusually quiet, but she wouldn't say why. He was suspicious and worried, but didn't press the matter. It seemed that no one saw anyone else that day; even the Guardians kept to themselves.

Towards the evening, Spyro and Cynder made their way back into their shared room. Having not seen Cyril or Blaze since the morning, they hadn't received any reason not to share a room.

"Spyro, I know of something we could do that would stop you from worrying..." She smirked, closing the door behind her.

"I don't know...I'm pretty tired." He sighed. "Not really in the mood." Cynder frowned.

"Well, I know something that could get you in the mood..." She slithered on top of him, pinning his arms back, and kissing him with her tongue down his throat.

"Mmm...How long has it been since we did this? A week?" he murmured.

"Feels like a year." she sighed.

The sun was just beginning to set outside. Meanwhile, on a ridge north of Warfang, a tent full of Ape Commanders were seated around the Assassin, who was formulating attack strategies on a worn map.

"Unit 1 will go around to the south, Units 2 and 3 to the west, Units 4 and 5 to the east, and Unit 6 to the north. We'll all charge at once." he said, his voice slightly muffled by the mask.

"How will we know when to charge?" one asked.

"It's no longer the Night of Eternal darkness. The largest moon will be a sliver. When that crescent moon is highest in the sky, we strike." The Assassin replied. "Go, gather your forces. We're leaving now."

Back at the Temple, Cyprin, Volta, Surgio, and Gaia were all back in Cyprin's room, lounging around on the floor and the bed.

"You guys," Cyprin said. "I'm kind of scared for tonight. How do we know what we're up against?"

"Listen, Cyp." Surgio stood up. "Spyro and Cynder defeated, like, all of Malefor's army. Heck, even Malefor himself! We might not be Purple Dragons, or have dark powers, but nothing's stopping us from being heroes too. Tonight, we show how brave we are, facing the unknown to help the Moles."

Volta stood up.

"That's all very nice, but let's face it: we're no warriors. I definitely think someone has to help the Moles out in their time of trouble, but I'm not sure if we're the right people. I think we should tell the Guardians..."

"The Guardians already know!" Gaia got up from the bed. "They're choosing not to help. Why? Maybe they're scared. Maybe they don't think they could do it. Maybe they don't think we could do it. But, if no one else will help them, that's why we have to do it. That's what being heroes is all about."

"Well, maybe we're not heroes yet!" Cyprin said. "We're hardly even teenagers. We're still kids."

"But that doesn't stop us!" Surgio interrupted. They all started shouting at one another.

Down the hall, Flame had gone into Ember's room.

"Should I go back to the mountain and get those plants?" he asked.

"No." she said coldly, almost robotically.

"So...we're keeping it then?"

"No."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll decide later. Now isn't the time."

"Ember...what's wrong? You're acting totally different."

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired."

"Ember, please tell me what's wrong. I can tell something's happening. Please, Ember, let me help you. I need to. I need you." There was a deathly silence.

"You should leave." She said in the same tone.

"If that's what I need to do to make you happy, I will." He leaned over and kissed her on the lips. There was no return from her. "I love you." He got up and left the room.

A tear trickled down Ember's cheek. On the inside, the trapped Ember could see, hear, and feel everything that went on, but she was helpless as her body was possessed by the Darkness. Flame walked down the hall, when he heard angry shouting coming from Cyprin's room. He opened the door to find all of his friends yelling at each other. They all stopped when they saw him enter.

"Flame!" Surgio said.

"We need your opinion." Volta said.

"But you can't tell Ember." Gaia continued.

"About what?" he was bewildered.

"Okay." Cyprin began. "Something bad is going to happen to Warfang, and we think it's going to happen tonight, but we don't know what it is. The Guardians and the Cheetahs know about it, but they're not bothering to help the Moles. So, we want to help them. But Volta and I think it's too dangerous to do it ourselves, and Surg and Gaia think we should go anyways."

"We need you to break the tie, Flame." Surgio said. "What's it gonna be?"

He thought about it for a while. He hadn't been with his other friends in so long, and he needed something to do to get Ember off his mind for a while.

"Well," he began. "It looks like we're going to Warfang tonight, then."

"Nice!" Surgio slapped Flame on the back. "We'll be there for midnight."

In one of the training rooms, Blaze had pressed the button on the wall that triggered the dummies, and dashed towards the center of the room as the statue went down. It had been so long since he had last been here, even longer since he had been a student. A few dummies from the corner of the room shook him from his reminiscence. He whipped his tailblade into the ones behind him, slicing them in half without his looking. Three more came in front of him, he kicked one into the air, where it crushed the other two on impact. He still had some fight in him, after all those years.

Then, a ring of dummies surrounded him. He knew he didn't have enough energy in him for a Fury Attack, so he tried to fight them off one by one as they launched themselves at him. He couldn't handle all of them, though, and he could see larger dummies approaching behind the smaller ones. He prepared for the impact of tough wood and earth into him, when he heard a rush of air and a crystallizing noise.

He looked up to see a dummy frozen inside a block of ice. Cyril. Blaze's eyes narrowed with contempt. He kicked the hunk of ice away and took on two dummies next to him, and right as a larger one prepared to crash into his back, a pale blew foot kicked it into two smaller dummies.

"What are you doing down here, you worm?" Blaze yelled over the commotion.

"I heard a commotion from down the hall, and needed to make sure everything was alright!" Cyril shouted back. "From the looks of it, you're lucky I showed up!" The blue dragon materialized an icicle and hurled it at the button on the wall, shutting the dummies down and returning them to the corner.

"I had it under control..." Blaze muttered.

"Weren't you ever told to have a Guardian be in the room whenever the dummies were out?" Cyril smirked.

"Well, you very well know I could have been the Guardian," Blaze stepped up to Cyril, practically shoving his face in front of his. "Had I not decided to run off with..." he drew a breath. "Glacia..."

"What's happened, happened." Cyril maintained his composure. "I can't go back and make her love me, and you can't go back and save her..." he smirked again. "...Like you should have."

Blaze threw a punch at where Cyril's stomach would have been as the ice dragon darted a few feet away.

"Don't act like you're at peace with all this." Blaze snarled. "I know you. You probably still dream about her every night, and it's eating you away from the inside as age eats you away from the outside."

"And you're completely fine with it? It's not my fault she's gone, and I don't have children dead because of it." Cyril spat back.

Blaze was grinding his teeth. Seething, he lunged at Cyril, who couldn't get out of the way fast enough. He grabbed him by the arms, and they grappled as their tailblades drew close to each other's necks. Cyril whipped Blaze around, slamming his back into the wall. There was silence. They could here the sound of pawprints down the hall, and released their holds as a few of the young dragons walked by.

"We'll have to get back to this...later." Cyril panted. They walked away.

* * *

Sorry for the wait!

Getting closer to being done, sorry if it's getting dragged out!

Much love,

SP.


	42. Warfang

The night felt hushed around Warfang. Even the summer wind between the trees and the bugs in the dew-painted grass seemed still. But silently, silently under cover of the near-total darkness, forces of war were moving. The sliver of the rising moon and the faint illumination of stars cast light on gleaming swords and spears in the hands of Apes commanding Grublins between trees, and the cannons and armor of Moles marching down rubble-strewn city streets. In the sky, five shadows darted between the clouds, communicating in quiet whispers between each other.

Surgio, Gaia, Volta, Cyprin, and Flame were traveling from the Temple to the city, having heard word from Hunter that the Moles would be in peril.

"How're you feeling?" Flame asked as Cyprin glided alongside him.

"I'm scared. Really scared." the Ice Dragon admitted. "We have no idea what we're going up against."

"Yeah." he muttered. "But still. Someone's gotta do it, right?"

"You're right." Cyprin sighed. "I envy you, you know that? You and Surg both. You don't seem scared at all."

"Well, if Surg isn't scared, why's he at the back of the pack?" They both looked behind them to see the yellow Dragon, eyes shifting nervously as he lagged behind the others by a few feet. "Trust me, Cyp, we're all scared. Even the Guardians and Blaze would be scared; that's why they're not here. We're the brave ones, and that includes you."

"Thanks, Flame. If it weren't for you coming with us, none of us might be doing this." They all were silent for the next few minutes, until they saw the walls of the city on the horizon. Torch light illuminated the city, as it seemed every last Mole was awake and preparing for what was to come as best as they could. The Dragons landed in a busy street in front of the lodge where they had stayed days before. Moles and the occasional Cheetah were preparing weapons and armor and marching towards the city's walls.

One uniformed Mole was ordering others around. The Dragons approached him.

"Sir." Surgio put his paw to his forehead and saluted. "We're here to fight."

"What do you know about fighting?" The commander spat.

"Enough."

"What are we up against?" Cyprin butted in.

"There's a Grublin army, twenty-five hundred strong." the Mole continued. "They're being commanded by around a hundred apes. Cheetahs tell they're moving in from the north to encircle the city. Go into the lodge, there's Dragon armor in the chests in the basement."

Cyprin turned back to Flame.

"Do you think Spyro and Cynder know what's going on?" He asked. "I mean, they were fighting the Grublins up north, weren't they? They'd come help us if they knew!"

"Er...They weren't fighting Grublins up north, I don't think. The Guardians lied to us." Flame admitted. "They're just asleep at the temple."

"Shit! Really?" Surgio turned. "I thought we were gonna have some help!"

"There's no help in war!" The commanding Mole shouted, running after a cannon rolling down the street.

"They're coming in from all sides? Right?" Surgio demanded all of their attention, as they walked hurriedly into the lodge. "So should we split up?"

"The Moles are strong. They can probably handle most of this. But I remember from when we were working, there's three large destroyed portions of the city's walls." Cyprin stepped into the center. "These are our weak points. If they get past the Moles at these points, they're free to enter the city. Our goal is to stop that from happening." They all went down the stairs and into the candle-lit basement, where they opened a chest and found old, decorated pieces of armor crafted from rare metals.

"Alright. I'll take Gaia..." Surgio began.

"There's no time for lovey-dovey stuff now." Gaia interrupted, securing a faceplate on. "Sorry, babe. Cyp, you go with Surg. Volta, you're with me. Flame, it looks like you're on your own."

"And anyone, if you get injured, head back here, to the lodge." Cyprin continued. "We're no use to the city if we're hurt."

They exited the lodge, decorated with shining armor. Cyprin and Surgio left to the southwest gap in the wall, Volta and Gaia went to the east, and Flame took the north, the focal point of the enemy's assault. As the red Dragon ran through the streets to the gap, he felt a sinking in his stomach. Now he was the scared one. Without his friends, he felt defenseless, even if an entire Mole army was fighting alongside him. And Ember...what had happened? Why was she treating him the way she was? What were they going to do about the baby? What would happen to Ember and the baby if he died here?

He made it to the plaza in front of the north gap, where Moles were arming their cannons and sharpening their swords, in the final preparations before the battle.

"Oi! Red! What're you doing here?" One called out. Wearing a commander's uniform like the one he saw before, Flame recognized this Mole as the one in charge of the northern defense.

"Sir!" He saluted like Surgio had. "I'm here to fight."

"What, a little guy like you?" The Mole stood up to him. He barely reached the top of Flame's head. "What can you do?"

Flame drew a breath, and exhaled a white-hot inferno from his maw, which set off a few cannons, nearly taking out the Moles loading them. Several soldiers nodded at the commander, others brushing the ash off their armor and groveling.

"Alright, Red, you're in. I'm sending two companies out, in a 'V' formation, and putting my elite platoon right between them. Think you can keep up with them?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. There's the platoon leader, over there." the Mole pointed. "Go, run, soldier!"

He inconspicuously entered a circle of around twenty-five Mole soldiers, as one wearing an patch over one eye discussed battle plans.

"There'll be the companies angled out on either side of us, so we'll cover the weakest point in the wall and organize in a straight line. The cannons and war machines are going to be behind them, so some should be able to cover us. When the flow of Grublins from the north has stopped, the companies are going to form a circle. We'll be in the middle of it, so as the soldiers in the circle close in, we have to sweep straight forwards. Understood?"

The circle responded with a synchronized "Sir, yes sir!" Only then did they notice the red Dragon between them.

"Who're you?" the leader shook a sword at Flame.

"Flame, sir." he saluted again. "The commander sent me here. I'm ready to fight."

"Ugh, that damned commander." the leader sighed. "Alright, you can head out with us, but if you're a liability to this platoon, I'll personally cut your damned head off. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Good. Soldiers, at arms! We're moving out!" he shouted. The 26 Moles and one nervous Dragon followed behind the hundreds that made up the companies, and assumed their positions, running through the gaping wound in the city's wall and into the surrounding plains. The platoon positioned itself directly blocking the hole in the wall, with the companies spread out on either side of them. They were greeted by a dimly moon-lit, empty plain. They could all sense, though, that their enemies were just beyond sight, hiding over the horizon or in the woods, or somewhere. Not knowing where, though, scared them.

The moon drew closer to the center of the sky at a painstaking pace. A demonic-sounding horn sounded from the woods. All the Moles readied their weapons. With hardly a warning, the Grublin army erupted from between the trees at the edge of the plain, firing arrows and launching spears. Cannons behind the Moles exploded, hurling balls off metal towards the edge of the woods as the two armies drew closer. When they first made contact, the deafening roar of screaming voices, clashing weapons, exploding cannons, and pouring blood filled Flame's ears. The Moles initially stopped the Grublins from even entering the formation, but they all knew they couldn't hold out forever. It seemed like there was an infinite supply of the little, grotesque enemies.

"Hold your ground!" the platoon leader screamed. "Don't give those bastards an inch!" As the troops on the end of the V thinned out the crowd, the majority of the Grublins ran straight into the V, where the Moles on either side annihilated them before they could reach the platoon. More came into the formation, though, and flooded it, reaching Flame and the platoon.

"Jenkins! Carlson! Smith! Get out there!" the leader called out three of the soldiers, who charged forwards into the crowd of Grublins. One unsheathed two swords, and proceeded to hack the heads of the Grublins as he charged past them. Another held an ax in his paws and swung it like a baseball bat, hurling Grublins into each other and severing limbs as he went. The last stood behind them, wielding his bow and arrow and picking off Grublins that drew close to the two others with dangerous precision. Within thirty seconds, at least fifty Grublins were downed.

"Return!" the leader shouted. "Gibbs, Jackson, and Clough! Go!" The same scenario came about; one Mole wielded a longsword, another a war hammer, and the other spears. Almost sixty more were eliminated. Flame noticed that the V formation was falling apart; soldiers on the front lines must have gone down. The Moles were focusing more on the forward assault than the middle of the formation, so more Grublins approached the platoon. Flame looked back to see the cannons still pumping metal onto the battlefield. However, he noticed something interesting. The spark from lighting the cannon hit the ground, and immediately the blades of grass below ignited. The Moles manning the cannons stomped out the fire before it could grow. Flame felt the grass below his paws; it hadn't rained in weeks, and wind from the Mountain of Malefor always seemed to make the air dry around Warfang. He looked back up to see the Grublins gaining ground. The encapsulating circle formation wouldn't work now.

"Dragon!" the platoon leader woke Flame from his distraction. "We're dying here! Get your ass in gear!"

"I have a plan!" he shouted back. "Have your soldiers tell the companies to push back towards the city!"

"What? Why? That'll just lure them closer!"

"Trust me! We're going to burn them out!"

With that, Flame took to the sky, darting back to where the cannons were. He grabbed a barrel of gunpowder, and flew back as Moles tried to stop him from taking it. He punctured the barrel with his tail blade, and flew parallel to the city wall, leaving a fine trail of combustible powder on the grass as the Moles began to move back. When the barrel ran empty, he flew over the platoon leader, who was ushering the other soldiers backwards.

"Have them run! I've got to do it now!"

"You're a crazy bastard!"

"Do it!"

He landed on the growing gap of dried, brittle grass between the retreating Moles and the advancing Grublins. A great many of the creatures began to charge towards him.

"Let's hope this works..." he muttered, before curling his limbs close drawing a deep breath. He could feel an inferno surging through him. As the Grublins began to latch onto him, he exhaled, and a fury of fire turned them to ash. The grass around him was incinerated, and the fire continued to spread across the plain.

"Dammit!" he shouted. The fire was spreading too slowly to stop the Grublins. He must not have hit the gunpowder trail. He tried to remember exactly where he had laid it, and exhaled a small lick of fire. Instantly, the grass crackled to life, and a sulfuric smell began to enter the smoky air. That quick-spreading fire shot across the field, blocking any enemies from getting through. The field was illuminated with a rich, red glow. Flame flew up to see the army being consumed and many retreating, but the fire spread towards the city as well. He returned to the walls, where several catapults stood.

"Get barrels of water from the reservoir! Launch them onto the plains, so the city won't burn!" he ordered the soldiers. They ran immediately into the city. He flew overhead to help carry the water, but made out another dimly-lit figure flying towards him, calling out.

"Flame! Flame!" As it drew closer, he could see the burly yellow form of Surgio.

"What is it?" He said, as they hovered beside each other. "Did you leave Cyp by himself?"

"The southwest hole...They've broken through. In the city..." he panted.

"How? What happened?"

"I don't know...They just overpowered us. We need your help."

He looked back nervously to see a cloud of thick, black smoke growing over the north end of the city.

"Okay. I'll come." They shot down to the southwest end of the city, where Grublins were pouring in through the hole in the wall. Flame thought about the situation.

"How many soldiers do you think are left in the area?" he asked.

"Half of them are gone, I'd guess, so...maybe five hundred?"

"That's not enough to do anything fancy. Have them block off the biggest streets. Tell them to have the civilians evacuate to the center of the city." Surgio just gave a blank stare, processing the commands. "Go!" Flame shouted, and he went, shooting back to the wall while Flame took to the streets.

Landing in a busy, crowded thoroughfare, Flame saw Moles running one way as Grublins approached from the other end. He pushed past the Moles running opposite to him, and charged at the enemies, gaining speed as he rocketed down the street. He lowered his horns, and instantly the first three Grublins were gored. He tried to exhale a great fire, but only steam and smoke escaped his maw; he had expended too much energy on his last fury. He saw the armor and weapons of a mutilated Mole corpse on the roadside beside him, and drew two swords. Having never experienced manual combat before, he was shaking with fright. Nonetheless, he stood upright, whipped his arm around clumsily, and hacked off several heads. One Grublin got by his swing; he kicked it in the face and it was hurled backwards into the others.

He kept hacking away, until one of the swords was literally yanked from his paws. Nervously, he looked back, to see a small force of Mole soldiers blocking off the street behind him. Though he was relieved to see reinforcements, Grublins were swiping at him as he was distracted. He was completely surrounded. Thinking quick, he swung his tail blade in a circle around him, hurled the sword straight through a few Grublins, and jumped, gliding into a second-story window of the building beside him.

The room was dark, dusty, and full of sheets of cloth and barrels. He brushed some dust off one of the barrels to read "Warning! Flammable!" Carefully cracking a lid off, he saw a great pile of fine, scarlet powder. It left a small cloud of dust as it ran between his claws. Another pyrotechnic idea entered his head. The buildings and streets around here weren't combustible like the grass on the plains, so a controlled burn would be safer here.

He jumped out the window again, and flew over to the Moles blocking the street, who were fighting off the Grublin crowd as best as they could.

"Soldiers!" he called to them from overhead. "I need you to run back when I give the signal!" They saluted him, and he returned to the window and grabbed a barrel in each arm. He hurled them into the crowd of Grublins, and as they hit the ground, massive clouds of blue and red dust rose up. Coughing and crashing into one another could be heard, as the enemies were blinded. When he saw that all of the Moles were a safe distance away, he exhaled a tiny spark onto the wooden barrel lid, tossed it out the window and into the crowd, and ducked below the windowsill, putting a claw in each ear. A roaring woosh and and thundering crack were heard, and he looked out to see nothing but a rising cloud of purple smoke and blackened walls, streets, and armor. The Moles were cheering down the street.

He took to the skies again. The air all around the city, even above it, was thick with the noxious smoke he had unleashed, but he thought it better than allowing all those Grublins to continue their attack. He went to the southwestern wall, where Surgio and Cyprin were stopping the remaining few Grublins from entering the streets.

"Did you take care of it, buddy?" Surgio asked as Flame came up behind him.

"Sure did. How're you holding up, Cyp?"

"Pretty good." the blue Dragon replied. "I haven't died yet, have I?"

"You guys can leave these stragglers for the Moles; they're sending reinforcements." Flame said. "Come with me. We've got to check on the girls."

They all headed towards the eastern wall, and as they flew, they noticed the status of the battle on the streets below. For the most part, the Moles were blocking the Grublins from getting to the city center, but they weren't really forcing them out. It seemed like a stalemate, placed precariously close to the city center. At the eastern wall, Flame was happy to see Moles filling barrels with water from the nearby reservoir. The soldiers on this front seemed to be fairing slightly better than those at the southwestern end, but their ranks were wearing visibly thin.

Flame eyed the reservoir again. The dam held the water from entering the plains, and instead released it into a small river. But he could see moving figures on the edge of the dam in the dim moonlight.

"Do you see those things on the dam?" He asked Cyprin as they headed over to where Gaia and Volta could be seen fighting. "I'm gonna check them out. It looks suspicious." He flew off again, landing quietly on the rim of the great stone dam. Expecting to be caught and attacked by Grublins, he was surprised to find Cheetahs turning knobs and unfastening latches.

"Dragon!" one of them called out, lifting the hood of their cloak off their head. Flame looked upon the familiar face of Hunter. "Flame!" he said in a hushed yell. "Why are you here?"

"We all came to help. We couldn't let this happen and not do anything about it!"

"I never should have told you...Ugh, the Guardians won't be happy with me at all. Where have you been?"

"Everywhere. The northern front, the southwestern front, I was just about to fight on the eastern front when I saw you guys. What exactly are you doing?"

"We're emptying the dam. It's been raining heavily in Avalar and in the north, so there's enough water to flood the plains and wipe the Grublins off the plain." Another Cheetah came up beside Hunter.

"We need the water in the reservoir to put the fire out on the northern plains!" Flame shouted, before being hushed by the Cheetahs around him. "You can't let it all out!"

"What burns in the north will burn. This is the last wave of Grublins around the city; if we don't stop them now, the city will die. This is the only way we can get rid of all of them."

"It's what Spyro and Cynder did to try to stop the Destroyer." Prowlus added. "This time, though, the enemies aren't quite as large. We're confident it'll work."

"Well..." Hunter muttered. "It's not going as well as we had hoped. Since Spyro and Cynder emptied it a few weeks ago, they've rebuilt it hastily with sandstone blocks, and great iron posts holding it all together. Our weapons can't get through them." Flame weighed the options of what could be done. Even if the entire plains burnt in the north, it'd be difficult to burn past the city walls, and more innocents would be saved if the Grublins were eliminated than if the fire were put out.

Flame could see a great metal post below them, where Cheetahs were desperately hammering away, to no avail. He could feel that his fire energy had returned, at least partially, and knew what he could do to help. He jumped down to where the central posts crossed, and put his paws on the junction as the Cheetahs stopped hammering. He closed his eyes, and released his heat through his paws. Nothing appeared to happen at first, but slowly, they could see the iron growing redder with heat.

"Hammer it now!" he told them, being careful to slide his paws out of the way when the hammers came too close. Now malleable, the metal bent and twisted under the pressure, and with a final blow, the two central supports to the dam were separated. The other supports gave a blood-curdling creak as the weight of the water was dispersed.

"We need something to break it down!" Hunter called down, impressed with Flame's work.

"Have all of you get off the dam! I'll take care of it!" he called back. He dove off the girder, and flew over the Grublins' heads as he got back to the other four Dragons, fighting side by side.

"You guys!" he shouted at them. "Tell all the Moles to get back in the city! We're letting the dam loose!" Without hesitation, the four of them dispersed, spreading the message.

Flame flew to an unattended cannon, loaded it as he had seen the Moles do before, and shot a small lick of flame onto the fuse. He pushed it until it pointed exactly at the dam. Plugging his ears, the cannon erupted, and the black ball of metal was hurled directly where the girders were separated. Another horrendous creaking was given, and suddenly, a crack spidered its way from the bottom of the dam's rock wall upwards. A gushing stream of water escaped, and pushed the crack wider to wash the entire plains in a torrent of water. Grublin soldiers were drowned and swept downstream like feathers in a hurricane. The water ran up to the Moles' feet at the city wall, turning the entire field into a lake for an instant as the wave swept. As the water subsided, all that was left was an inundated plain and rubble from the dam. All the enemies had been swept away.

Flame, from the cannon's location on the wall, could hear the Mole soldiers cheering below. He turned to look at the city. It was still in a state of disrepair from the battle weeks before, great stone buildings missing large chunks. Mole soldiers were marching towards the center of town, where the civilians had evacuated to, cheering in victory as the last of the Grublins within the walls were killed. A cloud of smoke from the northern plains had stopped growing as the last of the fire burnt out. It seemed the battle was won.

The other four Dragons flew up to meet Flame.

"Is anyone hurt?" he asked.

"Nope." they replied. "Are you?"

"No, I'm fine." he said, trying to ignore the several cuts, scrapes, and bruises he'd endured. "We won."

"You won, man." Surgio stepped forwards. "You should have seen yourself out there! You rocked, dude!"

"He's right, Flame." Cyprin added. "You're a master of strategy."

"Thanks, guys." he replied bashfully, scratching the back of his head. "Wanna head towards the center of town?"

They flew west to the center, and as they entered the great open square, which was packed full of Moles, a roar of cheers greeted them. A crowd of soldiers rushed over to Flame and hoisted him onto their shoulders, with the other Dragons following suit. It seemed every Mole in Warfang was here, rejoicing for being alive and surviving such a bloody battle. But it appeared that the victory wasn't one for the Moles or the Cheetahs, instead, it was the Dragons who had won the fight.

As Flame soaked in the celebration, he looked up to the sky to see the stars, but was greeted with raindrops on his snout. The clouds of smoke had turned to thick rainclouds, which started sprinkling on the crowd below, but the Moles still cheered and hooted as the rain fell. Still looking up, Flame was surprised to see a hole open up in the clouds, which revealed a swarm of moving figures. They seemed to be dive-bombing right into the center of the square, approaching rapidly. Panic gripped Flame. The battle wasn't over yet.

"Everyone!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "More enemies in the sky! Run!" They looked up to see the approaching foes.

A hundred Apes on the backs of Dreadwings, a hundred Wyverns, and two hundred Grublin Flies were shooting towards the Moles and Dragons. This assault was smaller, but without a doubt would be more vicious. The Moles dispersed, shrieking and crying through the rain as the innocents fled for their lives. The Dragons couldn't just run and hide, but if they took to the skies, they'd be overwhelmed. There they stood, alone in the square, awaiting their enemies' landings.

Right as the masked Ape on the great Dreadwing leading the others approached the ground, it seemed to be knocked out of the sky. The others behind him seemed to be crashed into as well.

"Look!" Volta cried out. "More Dragons!" She was right; they could make out figures of blue, green, red, and yellow attacking the enemies in the sky.

"How..." Flame muttered.

Though the Dragons fought the enemies in the air, many made it to the ground. Flame let out a beam of fire at one of the Wyverns, and kicked one of the Apes clean off of its Dreadwing. The Grublins were frozen solid by Cyprin, and the blue Dragon hurled one frozen Grublin into a Dreadwing's snout, which bucked its Ape into the air. Gaia shot a ball of rocky earth into the sky and took a Wyvern out. A bolt of lightning from Surgio's paws took out a group of Grublins, and another from Volta sent a Dreadwing spiraling to the ground.

Two young Dragons, one Ice and one Fire, landed on the ground behind Flame and the others.

"Dammit." the red one muttered. "We've never fought aerial battles before."

"We can still help out on the ground!" the blue one encouraged. A green dragoness landed beside them.

"You think you guys had it tough in the air?" she grumbled. "I was just following you by sound!" A yellow dragon landed beside her, without saying a word. They all looked over to see the five Dragons fighting, and decided to join them. The red one came up behind Flame, and swiped a Grublin out of the way as it was about to latch onto his back. Flame turned to face him.

"I'm Blaine."

"Flame." The two of them looked up to see four Apes on Dreadwings land in a circle around them.

"Let's do this."

The two Fire Dragons stood back to back and let out a torrent of fire, sending the Dreadwings backwards. Blaine jumped up, landed with his footpaws crashing into the face of a Dreadwing, swung his tail blade around to slice its Ape rider, and jumped off, doing a flip and landing on his hind paws behind the incapacitated enemies. Flame focused his heat energy into his paws, charged at the Dreadwing in front of him head-on, planted his red-hot paws on the creature's eyes, searing its face. He whipped his body around, his footpaws kicking the Ape right in the torso and pushing him off, and landed beside Blaine with a crash. They nodded at each other.

Elsewhere in the square, the other Bandits were working alongside the other Dragons. More from the sky landed as the battle transitioned from the sky to the ground. A few units of Mole soldiers seemed to come out of the streets and help, as did a few Cheetahs. It seemed the enemies were outnumbered, but the tables turned when the Assassin and his menacing Dreadwing landed on the ground with a thundering crash. By now, the rain was pouring, and lightning cracked across the sky. The creature's tail swept a crowd of Moles and Dragons out from behind it as it swished.

Flame vaguely recognized the Assassin from the mountaintop the night before. They seemed to lock eyes as the Assassin landed, and instantly Flame recognized the frightening armored Ape as the leader of all of the Apes and their allies. As he contemplated how to go about eliminating this Ape, however, the Dreadwing let loose a ball of fire right at Flame, which struck him and knocked him off his feet. Brushing ash off his scales, he stood back up. The monster had turned around, and it and its rider were occupied with Cheetahs on the opposite side of Flame. He knew now was the time to strike the beast. Flame got a running start, and hurled himself into the air, kicking the armored Ape off his beast and tumbling through the air. Noticing the absence of its rider, the Dreadwing attempted to buck Flame off its back, but the dragon dug his claws into its sides and let out a ball of fire into the beast's face. The creature, face now scalded and blood pouring from its neck, seemed to be incapacitated, but as Flame dug his claws out, a Hydra flew overhead and buzzed him, pushing him onto the ground where he laid exposed.

The Assassin saw the downed dragon, and readied his sword to plunge into Flame's heart. The red dragon knew it was too late to react by the time the danger made itself apparent, and in an instant he hoped for a quick, painless death. He closed his eyes, and heard the sound of something hard ripping through flesh, but he felt no pain. Flame cracked an eye open to see the Assassin lying on the ground, with an icicle stabbed through his head armor and blood pooling around the exit wound on the ground. Cyprin stood a few yards away, a look of triumph on his face. Flame shot a gaze of thankfulness, but quickly they both reentered the battle. With their commander dead, the enemies seemed to be less cohesive, which gave the Dragons, Moles, and Cheetahs an upper hand.

The rain seemed to let up a little as the Apes were annihilated and the Hydras and Grublin Flies fled to the clouds, where airborne Dragons dealt with them. Finally, after the bloody hours in the square had passed, patrolling Mole units reported that all the Apes, Grublins, and other malicious creatures were dead or retreated. If the gathering in the square when the land assault had been beat was an energetic celebration of triumph, this new gathering was a raging riot of victory, the crowd desperately tired but not subdued in the least.

"We did it!" Surgio screamed, shoving the Red Dragon and hugging him in the midst of the crowd. "We killed 'em, Flame!"

"Yeah!" Flame shouted back. The noise of cheering and shoving was nearly deafening, and Flame spotted Cyprin hanging around the edge of the crowd, so he decided to pay him a visit, Surgio behind him. As they were about to strike up conversation, a huge tower of an Earth Dragon, which looked like a slightly more youthful version of Terrador, intercepted them.

"You young Dragons fought valiantly tonight." he boomed, grinning. "Which one of you is the leader?" Cyprin and Surgio pointed a claw at Flame.

"Uh...I suppose I am, sir." he started. "My name's Flame."

"Arden." the Earth Dragon replied, shaking paws with Flame. "We're from the Caverns underneath Beauport, to the south. Spyro told us the Guardians would be in Warfang, but it looks like our visit proved useful regardless."

"We...there's six of us, we stayed in the Great Southern Forest with Blaze. The Guardians relocated to the Temple's new location. We can take you there."

Arden assembled his Dragons, and they and the five young Dragons took to the sky, leaving behind a crowd of cheering soldiers celebrating in the rubble-strewn streets as the rainclouds began to part and reveal a rising sun. But as they soared through the peach-hued sky, the glow of victory in Flame's mind was penetrated by thoughts of Ember. Worry took a hold on him as they drew nearer to the Temple.

* * *

My longest chapter, by far! And longest hiatus!

This is where the end happens. I'm starting Chapter 43 as I type this!

Thanks for the reads and reviews!

-SP


	43. Destruction

The sliver of a ghostly white moon barely illuminated the cozy dormitory, a mild breeze dancing in through the window. Two dragons slept beneath the covers of the old bed, her head cuddled up against his neck and their tails intertwined.

"Mmm...you awake?" she asked.

"Kinda."

"Wanna go for a walk?"

"Sure."

She slithered off his chest and out of the bed, and with a yawn overtaking her face, leaned over to stretch an ache out. He opened his eyes to see a slender silhouette of black and scarlet scales in the moonlight.

"Admiring the view?" she smirked, noticing his stare.

"Of course." he smiled back. He rolled out of the bed, and the two of them set out into the hallways. They took extra care to step silently past the Cyril's chambers, and Ignitus', where Blaze slept these days. Finally, they reached their balcony. This was the balcony they would go to in the nights after Cynder was freed from the Dark Master's grasp, and where Spyro would sometimes doze off with Sparx after hard days training with the Guardians. It was where he and Ignitus stood after they first entered the Temple, and Spyro saw what had happened to the world before him. Now, instead of overlooking the islands where evil and sadness once reigned, they could see the top of the volcano high on the horizon, and the soft grass, tall trees, and quiet river of the valley. Hardly the expansive view the Temple once offered, it was peaceful nonetheless.

"I've been thinking about what you said earlier, Cynder."

"What's that?"

"About living our lives one day at a time. Not worrying about the future."

"Oh?"

"I'm...I'm working on it. But there are some decisions we'll have to make soon enough."

"Like what, Spyro?"

"Well, for instance, if we decide to have hatchlings, then neither of us can become Guardians. Likewise, if one of us is appointed Guardian, we can't have hatchlings."

"Spyro," she chuckled. "They're not going to appoint me Guardian. I know you're talking about yourself."

"Well, I..." he stammered. "I don't mean it like that. I guess, these decisions are going to affect both of us equally."

"I see what you mean. These rules, with Guardians and mates...I can't stand them. What's to say a parent wouldn't be an even better teacher?"

"I know, Cynder. I don't like them either. But Ignitus always tried to teach me that these traditions are what keep the order of the Dragon race, what teach us how to fight, how to fly, how to live. And remember, Guardians aren't just teachers. They're warriors and diplomats too. It'd be hard to raise hatchlings with one of us fighting wars or visiting distant lands all the time."

"You're right." she muttered. "So, have you started deciding yet?"

"Hardly." he sighed. "It's hard. You know I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he wrapped his tail around hers. "But the Guardians...they'll try to make me something. Maybe not a Guardian, but something important. And Ignitus would have wanted it too..."

"I know you miss him." she drew closer to him. "But I really, truly think Ignitus would have wanted you to find your own way in the world. Not to give in to the others' demands, and get caught up in the life others expect of you. You've done what they've asked. Wouldn't you want that for your student? For your friend? For the one like a son to you?"

He was quiet for a while. What would Ignitus have really wanted?

"My path ends here. But yours lies beyond this. Draw strength from each other and follow your heart... it will never fail you." the Fire Guardian's last words echoed in Spyro's mind.

"You're right." Spyro smiled, realizing what he should do. He leaned over and kissed her on the mouth, the smile spreading to hers.

They silently looked out at the valley. A strange feeling came over Spyro slowly, like some mix of worry and deja-vu. He couldn't quite put a claw on why he felt so unnerved, here with Cynder...Then the doors behind them opened. They turned to see Ember stepping towards them, slowly and silently. She looked sickly; her scales looked dark and pale, her eyes were sunken and bloodshot, and she bore a grim expression on her face.

"Ember!" Spyro shouted. He remembered his dream when he left Warfang, weeks ago.

"What're you doing here?" Cynder spat.

"I'm here to eliminate the largest threat to the Darkness, so the world will finally undergo its rightful rebirth." Some kind of twisted smile sprawled across the pink dragon's face "But first, I have to sacrifice the last traitor to abandon the Darkness."

"What? I won't let you!" Spyro began, but he was stopped as Ember lifted her paws. Bolts of green light struck him in the paws, pinning him to the ground with the same unbreakable strength as the necklaces that bound him and Cynder together weeks before.

He struggled desperately, knowing he couldn't escape but trying with all his might regardless. The pink dragoness barred her teeth and charged at Cynder, brandishing her claws as she jumped towards her. Cynder rolled out of the way, swinging her tail blade at Ember.

"Spyro!" she cried. "What's going on?"

"I...I don't know Cynder!" he grunted, still trying to free himself from his confines. "You have to fight her!" Ember blew a wave of red-hot fire towards Cynder as she was distracted by Spyro. She dissipated the flames with a breath of wind, and let out a cloud of poison. Ember seemed to charge right through it, and the two began slicing at one another with their claws and tail blades.

Spyro tried to assess the situation as best as he could while struggling. Why would Ember say those things about the Darkness? Hadn't she been exposed to some of it on top of the volcano from Gaul's staff? That exposure to the essence of Malefor and his evil...It could do that. It could do terrible things. It had turned Cynder into the malicious beast she once was, and left her scales permanently blackened. And when he was exposed to it at the Well of Souls...He began to feel the familiar sensation rising, like when Ignitus died in the Ring of Fire. The violent, powerful, explosive thing he became was difficult to control, but he couldn't sit and watch as Cynder was losing ground in this bloody battle. He was losing a grip on himself, his own Darkness taking over. He just hoped someone would hear the battle, one of the others, or Cyril or Blaze...Someone had to come soon.

There were no others within earshot, unfortunately. The younger ones were gone. From the top of the stairway to the basements of the Temple, one could hear a struggle, but it wasn't Cynder's and Ember's. When the young dragons had been supposed to go to sleep, Cyril decided his own rest could wait, and strolled down the flight of stairs to revive old memories. When he was a student at the Temple, he and Glacia would visit each other often, but the Guardians then had strict rules about visitation, especially those that were co-ed and after-hours like theirs so often were. Being a resourceful dragon, he soon discovered that the mostly-unused basements were easy to access and never under surveillance. The two would often take the basement route to get to the balconies, or out to the forest, or to wherever they'd go.

Unbeknownst to Cyril, Blaze had entered the basements from another stairwell shortly after because, also unbeknownst to Cyril, Glacia had told Blaze about the secret route, and that was how they would meet each other as well. Too far off in thought, neither of the old dragons noticed the distant footsteps of the other. Every tile, every brick, damaged as they were from being peeled from the ground and hurled back to earth, refreshed their memories of nights so long ago.

They had been here after graduating, too. These basements were where all of the eggs were stored when the Apes came and sieged the Temple. Normally, most dragons lay and hatch their eggs in the privacy of their own homes. In times of war and danger, however, dragons from the surrounding swamps and forests would go to the Temple, a safe haven of sorts. But when the Apes began to approach Dragon territory, even residents of Warfang thought it better to seek safety in the Temple. Warfang was a pretty large target, Blaze and Glacia included.

Blaze had been a soldier in the Warfang Army after leaving the Temple, and left to become a blacksmith when he and Glacia had their eggs. From friends still in the army, he heard that Warfang was quickly becoming less safe. Looking out for his wife and future children, he relocated immediately. No one had any idea the Apes were going to target the Temple, too. It had always been a sanctuary.

But, the fateful night came where the Apes invaded, and Cyril and Blaze could both still clearly remember the panicked herd of dragons rushing through the basements, gathering eggs and loved ones. The Apes were already killing dragons upstairs, and those that remained below were fleeing with as many eggs as they could carry. Cyril remembered telling the survivors to get to Warfang, not knowing the Apes would take the city too. He remembered Blaze being there.

"Warfang'll be under attack too!" Blaze shouted back at him, putting unclaimed eggs into a satchel. "They'll die if we send them there!"

"We've nowhere else to send them!" he shouted back. "Besides, we haven't gotten any word from Warfang about any attacks!"

Warfang wouldn't be invaded for another hour. Glacia and Blaze did intend to avoid Warfang, and were flying in the opposite direction of the city when an arrow hit her in the wing. She told Blaze to save the eggs before she spiralled towards the ground, and as he landed outside the forest to run in and save her, he was surrounded by the attacking Apes. Driven by rage, he tried to fight them off, but wave after wave came towards him. He fought as many as he could, but more came, and he got tired, and the Apes started trying to take his eggs, so he flew back into the sky. He scoured the woods, but more Apes found him as he saw two shattered eggs on the forest floor. He took to the sky, weeping bitterly. He never knew that Glacia was carrying a third egg. He never knew she was just across a small river from where he left.

When the two dragons noticed each other in the basements, they certainly didn't make it apparent. Only when they passed each other did they visibly agknowledge each other.

"What might you be doing in the basements, Blaze?"

"I could ask you the same question, Cyril." Both were silent. "A friend of mine showed me these rooms when I was a student here. We used them to get to each other after curfew."

"Hmm." Cyril grunted timidly. "I once showed a friend of mine these rooms, to sneak out after curfew." More silence.

"Well, I guess we know where our friend's priorities were, then." Blaze began again, putting two and two together with a malicious grin on his face.

And so it was that Cyril threw the first punch. A shower of spit blew out of Blaze's mouth as the claw hit his jawbone, and he stumbled backwards, only to step forwards again and throw a punch back at the blue dragon. Cyril caught his fist, and twisted his arm, making Blaze roar out in pain as he contorted his body. Cyril got behind Blaze, holding him by the arm as he pressed the icy blades on his elbow into the red dragon's neck. Blaze took Cyril's arm in his other claw and lifted him over his back, throwing him onto the ground, and was about to slam his footpaw into the dragon's neck when he grabbed the footpaw and whipped it, making Blaze trip and land on the ground beside him.

The two grappled on the ground, struggling to get on top until Blaze kicked Cyril from on top of him, sending him slamming into the brick wall behind him. Blaze whipped himself upright as well, and threw a punch towards where Cyril's head was, only to have him dodge and hit the crack in the wall where the ice dragon landed. The crack spidered up the brick wall as Blaze let out a breath of red-hot fire, nearly scorching Cyril. He let loose a flurry of icicles, many barely missing Blaze but one striking him in the shoulder and stabbing through his scales, making him roar in pain. Cyril took advantage of Blaze's distraction and kicked him in the stomach, sending the red dragon into the cracked wall, which shattered to reveal one of the side rooms as spit and blood flew from Blaze's mouth.

He landed in the pile of rubble and hardly had time to realize he was in a room he had never been in before. The long room seemed to run parallel to a length of the hallway, and was marked with pillars every few feet, most of which were broken. The basements of the Dragon Temple also contained much of the supporting structures that kept the massive building standing. Because some of these pillars still held strong, the Temple survived its landing after being ripped into the air and thrown back down, though now the weight of this whole side of the building was supported by the few fragile standing beams in this room.

Blaze got his wind back and peeled himself off the floor. He tried to throw a punch at Cyril's face, but he ducked out of the way behind a pillar. Cyril continued to step back behind and between pillars as Blaze stepped forward and narrowly missed his head, ultimately burying his fist in one of the pillars. The wood splintered, and a faint creak could be heard in the ceilings and walls.

Back on the balcony, Spyro's dark side had taken over. As his eyes filled with the eerie, sickly pale light, he flapped his wings, carrying his blackened body up and shattering the green bonds around his paws. Ember seemed mechanically focused on Cynder, but the black dragoness feared for the worst as Spyro started to hover in the air. He charged through the air into Ember's side, throwing her from the balcony onto a lower rooftop with a great thud. A small creaking could be heard from the weight being thrown onto the roof, but no one noticed as Ember got up and flew to Spyro, trying to claw him in mid-air. He let out a breath of Convexity which knocked her back to the ground.

The pink dragoness screamed in demonic rage, swaying her head from side to side as an inferno erupted out. Spyro, still in the air, curled himself into a tight ball and the pink light of a Convexity fury began to form around him. Cynder shielded herself with an injured wing as Ember faced Spyro's attack. In the basements, one of the great wooden beams cried out and snapped as the weight of the building was thrown off by Spyro's immense attack. Spyro slammed into Ember again from the air, making a crack in the floor of the balcony. Cyril and Blaze hesitated in their fight as they saw one of the cracks between the bricks in the outside wall begin to spider upwards, towards the balcony many floors above them. Spyro and Ember were in the air once again, clawing and biting, as the crumbling of stone could be heard from below. Only Cynder, lying tired and injured on the balcony, panicked as the entire face of the Temple slid downwards, and she screamed out in terror.

The scream distracted Spyro, and he turned to see Cynder falling fast as the floor of the balcony turned to rubble. He kicked Ember away as his darkness began to fade, and rocketed through the air to grab Cynder before she hit the ground. He dodged between chunks of rock as he grabbed her, and turned to see Ember following behind him. He was about to let loose a torrent of fire to drive her away, but a huge piece of stone struck her in the back, between the wings, and she yelped as she plummeted towards the earth, more rocks showering down upon her in the heap of rubble.

Blaze and Cyril raced towards the stairwell as the ceiling of the basements started to come down on them, but pieces began to fall and strike them as they exited the room full of columns. The huge fragments of stone were difficult to dodge as the walls started to fall too. One hit Blaze right in the head, and he fell to the ground with a scream. Cyril looked over his shoulder fleetingly.

Spyro landed on the rooftop with Cynder in his arms, his scales and eyes returning to their normal colors as the darkness faded.

"Are you alright?" he asked, setting her down.

"I'll be fine." she winced, feeling a sharp sting in her cuts. "But Ember...Do you think she's dead?"

"I don't know." he sighed. "I don't think a normal dragon could withstand all that." He gestured to the pile of crumbled stone many stories below them. "But she was possessed by the Darkness. Who knows what it could have done?"

The two of them sat in silence for a while, watching as the sun started to lighten the sky. Suddenly, Spyro jolted upright.

"What's wrong?" Cynder asked.

"The others! What happened to all the other dragons in the Temple?"

"Are they still inside?"

"They would have woken up to check on the commotion, right?"

"Who's that?" Cynder pointed at the cloud of dragon-like shapes approaching from the direction of Warfang in the sky. As they drew closer, Spyro could make out the two at the front of the pack as Arden and Flame. Spyro was relieved that the other dragons were safe. The red dragon landed on the roof beside Spyro as the rest hovered above.

"What happened? Where's Ember?" he asked in a panicked tone.

"Flame! Where did you all go?" Spyro retorted.

"Ember was possessed by the Darkness, Flame. She was forced to try and kill Spyro and I. The building must have been weakened by something, because the whole side of it started to crumble, and Ember, she..." Cynder started, but Flame flew down to the pile of rubble before she could finish.

Arden and Glacia landed next.

"It's good to see you again, Spyro." Glacia smiled.

"It's good to see the Temple standing again, too." Arden reminisced about the days he would visit his brother here on days off from running the mines outside of Warfang. "Well, partially..."

"There was a fight." Spyro sighed.

"That would explain her wounds." Glacia gestured to the black dragoness. "You must be Cynder. Come, I can get you fixed up." Cynder followed Glacia down to the ground, and Spyro and Arden followed them as the other dragons landed in the field of the valley. From the ground, they could see the destruction. It looked like a cross-section above the pile of rubble; the rooms and hallways could be seen.

"Arden, what were Flame and the others doing in Warfang?" Spyro asked.

"There was a Grublin army that attacked. It seems they snuck out to help the Moles fight them off. We all just happened to show up at an opportune time."

"It's good to see everyone above ground and doing well."

"Indeed, it is." Arden faintly smiled. "Now, Flame told us that Terrador and Volteer were off. Where might Cyril and Blaze be?"

"I...I don't know. I figured they were asleep, but they would have woken up through all this." Spyro shook his head sadly.

"They left Cyril and Blaze alone?" Glacia interrupted, overhearing as she bandaged up some of Cynder's wounds.

"Do you know where they'd be?" Arden asked.

"If they weren't in their rooms, or out on the balconies, they'd be..." her eyes drifted to the pile of rubble. "Oh, Ancestors! The basements!"

She got a running start and flew to the Temple's wall. The Bandits followed after her. Arden walked off to the others, leaving Spyro and Cynder alone.

"You're sure you'll be alright?" he asked, sitting on the grass beside where she was laying.

"I'll be great in no time. Glacia's a pretty good healer." she sighed. "What about you?"

"I'm tired. I'll manage." He looked back at the building. "What do you think happened to Cyril and Blaze? And Ember, too?"

"I don't know, Spyro. I hope they're alright." she muttered. "But it's over. Ember...well, she won't be hurting us any time soon. We're out of Beauport, alive. It sounds like there's no more Grublins or Apes to deal with for a while. And the Temple's got hundreds of dragons now."

"You're right." Spyro smiled, snuggling closer to her. "The rest of our lives is beginning." They looked over the Temple, to the east, where the sun was poking up over the ridge of the valley. Day was breaking.

* * *

The end is so close! You can almost taste it!

Give me some love!

-SP.


	44. Rubble

The red dragon dug desperately through the pile of rubble, claws frantically pushing aside chunks of stone and glass in search of any sign of Ember. A pink scale, a drop of blood, anything. He disregarded his bruises and gashes from the battle earlier in the night, and his fatigue from lack of sleep, holding back tears. How had this happened? Why did he leave Ember when he knew something was wrong? His search seemed futile. The pile of rubble was huge, and he hadn't seen any trace of her. He felt nothing but the drive to search harder.

"Flame!" a voice seemed to have been calling his name for a while, but only now did he notice. He whipped his head around to see Blaine gesturing to him. "Come here! You might want to see this." Immediately he flapped his wings and jumped over. Blaine and Cyrillus were standing around the hole they had dug in the pile of rubble, where just a hint of pink could be seen shining through the cracks between rocks.

"Is this who you were looking for?" Cyrillus asked, pointing a claw to the hole. They departed to help their mother search for Cyril and Blaze as Flame pushed all the rocks out of the way, revealing what they hid.

Ember didn't look good at all. She was covered in deep gashes and dark bruises all over. Her wings had tears in their membranes, and her scales looked deathly pale. He couldn't keep his tears back any more. Weeping silently, he held the limp body in his arms. He was startled as he felt her barely-there heartbeat and shallow breathing cradled up against his chest. Other than that, she didn't move a muscle.

He sobbed, holding her close, until he noticed Spyro and Cynder were behind him.

"Flame…" Cynder tried to find some words of condolence, but couldn't.

"Why did this have to happen?" he cried.

"It was cruel and random, Flame. The Darkness takes what it can get." Spyro replied.

Flame sighed. "It's just…I'm not angry at you. I don't blame you for this. But I wish it didn't have to end this way…we could have gotten help for her, or something…couldn't we?"

"I don't know, Flame." Cynder reached out to lightly touch his arm. "The Darkness isn't exactly easy to get rid of." He eyed the dragoness' black scales, and understood.

Glacia and the Bandits were digging on another end. Why, she asked herself, would Blaze and Cyril be in the basements at this hour? Why both right here? It felt strange, having the hope of seeing Blaze and Cyril again possibly taken away. She missed them bitterly. She couldn't wait to be held in Blaze's arms again, to look into his amber eyes, to show him their children…his sons.

But Cyril…she didn't know how she would react. He was an old friend. As much as she wanted to tell herself that, that he was an old friend and nothing more, the more she thought the harder it was to believe it. She had feelings for Cyril she never got the chance to act upon. It would be difficult seeing him.

But what if they didn't survive? What if only one did? Blaze? Cyril? She stopped, took a deep breath, and continued digging, trying not to think about it.

"Mom!" she heard Blaine call out. She turned to see him holding a huge hunk of ice in his paws. "I found this!"

"Cyril…" she muttered, eyes widening. She dashed over and saw that, mixed among the rock, glass, and earth, there were shard of ice, hardly melted yet. What did this mean? Arda was quickly uncovering it with various earth attacks, blowing the rubble away to reveal the source.

Beneath the rubble lay a dome of thick ice, like a spider's web around its eggs. A small crack began to spider as the rocks were pushed away, and the dome let out a great cry and a rush of cold air as it shattered. There, on the rubble-strewn tiles of the remnant of the basement floor, Cyril lay with his bruised, bleeding body slumped over Blaze's.

Glacia was silent. She couldn't breathe.

"Cyril!" Spyro called out, rushing over.

"Spyro…" the ice dragon groaned, eyes still closed and teeth barred. He was hardly conscious, and barely recognized the voice.

"What happened?"

"We were fighting…but…I had to save him…Glacia…would have wanted…" he muttered between breaths.

Slowly, the old dragon opened his eyes, wincing as the light shone and blurred. He saw Spyro and Cynder, and Cyrillus and Blaine…and Glacia. Hers was the last face he saw before he slipped back into unconsciousness. Blaze hadn't stirred a bit the whole time. Glacia just seemed to watch, paralyzed in awe and terror.

"Blaine, Cyrillus." She called, finally.

"Our father…" they muttered in unison. They ran to their mother and embraced her, as tears began to fall.

* * *

Yes, it's short.

Yes, I'm writing Chapter 45 right now.

Kthxbai!

SP


	45. Decisions

It took a few days to get organized. Terrador and Volteer returned in time, luckily with more than enough supplies to repair the damages being sent. They were both ecstatic to see the familiar faces of family and friends long separated from them. Glacia had used the Temple's library as her makeshift healing room, where Ember, Cyril, and Blaze had to be treated.

Aside from Cyril's momentary wakefulness, the three of them were unconscious the entire time, and all required extensive healing. She tried her best to get all the proper herbs and oils to try and wake them, but their conditions barely improved. Still, Flame, Spyro, Cynder, Terrador, and the others visited them every day, hoping for some sign of consciousness. Flame, especially, visited often that week. It wasn't just for Ember, either. Flame had always been a father to him, more than he was to the others. While only being able to teach the other Dragons the basics of their elements and with Ember being disinterested in fighting, Flame often practiced his with Blaze late into the night. Both Blaze and Flame were timid souls with a relatively quick temper, and Flame noticed their similarities more and more as he got older. Though his new friends Blaine and Cyrillus might be the dragon's sons too, Flame had been with Blaze since the day he hatched.

Glacia was changing Blaze's bandages early in the morning about a week after the fight, and her sons were watching from behind her. Since they were born, she had told them all about their father, but it was a shock beyond comparison to finally see him, and in the state he was in, too. She stroked his face gently with her paw, tracing over his still-familiar lines and scales. As she rubbed in cleaning oils to his uncovered, raw wounds, he seemed to wince and tightly shut his eyes; this was his first movement since he had been found.

"Blaze." She whispered into his ear. "Can you hear me? Wake up, Blaze, please." The great red dragon let out a deep breath, and sank back into sleep. Glacia frowned.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Cyrillus asked her.

"Oh, I know he'll be fine. They're all stable." She sighed. "I just want him to wake up, so badly. I want to hear his voice again, see his eyes…I want him to see you. He was so excited to be a father…"

The twins embraced their mother, and left to find Flame. With the building in disrepair, construction supplies on the way, and only two Guardians able to teach and train, the young dragons were mostly just socializing and exploring. Even Arden was catching up with Terrador. Glacia, though, spent most of her days in that library, watching over the sleeping, scarred bodies that lay before her. It was relatively uneventful between visits.

So it was an interesting occasion when Cyril started groaning without provocation a while after the twins left the room.

"Ugh, Ancestors…" he growled, throwing a paw over his eyes. "What kind of unholy battle was I in?" He looked between his claws, wincing as he adjusted to the light, and saw Glacia staring back at him. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

"No, Cyril. You're alive." She smiled back at him, leaned in and kissed him deeply on the maw. "And I'm alive too."

"How? You died on the night of the raid…" he groaned. She explained what happened, where she had been and how she had gotten back.

"Cyril…Why were you and Blaze in the basements?" she finally asked.

"We were just reminiscing…And then we were fighting." He sighed. "I thought only you and I used the basements…So I got angry. We must have destroyed some crucial elements of the building, because the walls started to crack and…"

"Why did you save him?"

"Well…As we were running out, I saw him fall down. I thought, 'This isn't right. If I kill him, the young ones he's raised would be devastated. I'd be destroying their family.'" He looked back up at her. "I see now I made the right choice."

She leaned back down and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, Cyril." She was silent for a while. "I'm sorry, for everything."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry for betraying you so many years ago. I took advantage of your friendship, and left you for Blaze. And I was dishonest, Cyril…" she leaned in closer to his face. "I've always loved you as more than a friend."

"I forgive you, Glacia. But you have a family now, and I'm not going to get in the way of that. Whatever might have happened between us…I think it's best left in the past."

They looked at each other for a while.

"But Cyril…"

"I know it doesn't make sense. I've wanted you to myself since the day I met you, and now, decades later, I had a change of heart in an instant. But I've got to teach these Dragons everything I can while I'm still living. And you've got dragons to heal, children to raise, and…" he looked over to the motionless red dragon across the room. "…and a mate to love. I wish so hard that I could be a part of your life, but it can't happen. And I think now…knowing that you're alive and happy…I think I can live with that."

She let all this sink in.

"Look at us. We're all grown up." She smiled. "We must have stopped thinking with our hearts and started with our heads."

"It took us long enough." He smiled back. The comfortable silence seemed to warm them until they looked over and saw Blaze groaning and stirring where he lay.

"Go, take care of him. I need my rest." Cyril murmured. She embraced him tightly again, and let him fall back into sleep as Blaze woke up. A heartfelt reunion filled the room as Blaine and Cyrillus were called in by their tearful mother. He, too, was tired and still healing, so he fell back asleep before long. The two old dragons had endured bloodier battle wounds than even a younger dragon was used to, and would require a long time to fully heal.

In three days' time, though, the two of them were out of the Library and around the Temple, though they spent a great deal of time sleeping. This left Ember as the only one still unconscious. They had relocated her into one of the dormitories after a few days alone. Flame spent most of his time in that room with her, sometimes talking to her like she was awake and sometimes just soaking in the silence. Glacia told him that Ember would take a long time to wake up; unlike Blaze and Cyril, her fight wasn't over. She was still fighting the Darkness inside her mind, and she wouldn't regain consciousness until one of them had won. It wrenched at his heart, knowing she was fighting for her own life and not being able to do anything about it but worry and feel miserable.

The feeling in the Temple during those late summer days was a subdued joy, but a joyous one nonetheless. The subterranean dragons reveled in the natural beauty of the valley, the heat, and the light, and they quickly made new friends they were making amongst the dragons already there. They all rejoiced that they had won their battle in Warfang with no losses, and both Cyprin and the ever-absent Flame were hailed as military geniuses and legendary warriors.

Spyro and Cynder recovered quickly, having sustained bloodier battles than the one they had fought with Ember. While they did spend some time socializing with the new Temple inhabitants, they spent most of their time off by themselves. They'd walk down the countless hallways in the Temple where most never went. They'd go flying through the valley and swim in the stream together where no one else could see them. Late at night, they'd sneak into each other's rooms and just lie there talking for hours, or even just lying in silence, understanding every unspoken word between them.

Spyro was an oddity and a legend in the eyes of the new dragons at the Temple, and fortunately, Cynder's reputation hadn't preceded her, and she was seen as Spyro's noble accomplice more than the ghost of the monster she once was. Despite this, they stayed out of the public eye for a while, until Terrador stopped him in the halls one bright morning.

"Spyro." He stated, with little emotion whatsoever.

"Hey, Terrador. What's up?" Spyro replied hesitantly.

"I need to speak with you in my quarters." Wordlessly, he followed the great green dragon back to his chambers, and was greeted by a full room. Cyril and Volteer stood on one side of the room, while Glacia and Blaze stood close together, opposite the others, with Arden at Glacia's side.

"Ah, Spyro. We've been expecting you." Cyril greeted him.

"What's going on?" Spyro asked confusedly.

"Well, as the Guardians, interim Guardians, and leaders of the new arrivals here at the Temple, we've been doing a lot of planning the past few days." Terrador spoke up.

"What kind of planning?"

"Well, it's been nearly 15 years since we last held classes here at the Temple." Cyril began. "With the new amount of dragons here, it's high time that we resume them."

"We firmly feel that everyone present, even the more mature adolescents, would likely benefit from a classical education and proper combat training." Volteer added.

"The classes would likely start at summer's end, which is rapidly approaching." Cyril continued. "As it stands, Terrador will be teaching melee combat and Earth combat, Volteer, language and Electric combat, Blaze, natural studies and Fire combat, Arden, military training, Glacia healing, and myself, history and Ice combat."

"But we're not here to ask your permission to follow through with this, Spyro." Terrador boomed. "We're here to make an offer to you."

At this point, Spyro understood why he was really here here, yet he tried to deny it in his head. He wasn't prepared to make a decision about this so soon…

"At the moment, neither Cyril nor Blaze is fit to teach any fighting for a while. Terrador will be very busy for a time overseeing the reconstruction of the buildings." Glacia explained. "So, we'd like to see you teach Earth, Ice, and Fire combat for the time being."

Spyro thought for a moment, and finally spoke up.

"Why not Flame, Cyprin, and Gaia? Or the Bandits? Why am I the one you want to teach it all?" he asked.

"Flame and the others have only received what little amateur training I have given them." Blaze replied. "They haven't been formally trained in anything, and with the exception of Flame, they hardly even know how to use their elements."

"Yes, and the Bandits have never been formally trained either." Glacia added. "Arden and I trained them to be thieves…certainly not warriors."

"You, Spyro, have learnt a great deal of the classical styles of combat from us Guardians." Cyril began. "While you are by no means done with your education, you've learned enough to teach the basics to the others until we can take over."

Spyro was hesitant to answer. He knew it would be a slippery slope if he said yes; first they'd ask him to teach temporarily, then permanently, and eventually they'd try to make him a Guardian.

"I think that teaching for a few moons might serve as a fitting repayment for disobeying our rules on intimate behavior between dragons, in addition to fleeing Warfang repeatedly, against our orders…" Terrador added. So they were going to play this game?

"Wait, you're making this my punishment for that?" Spyro blurted.

"Well, I never said that…"

"You're certainly making it sound like I owe you my time. It's as if I haven't given enough already. No, if I'm going to do anything for you, it's going to be because I want to…" Spyro spat. "…not because you're pressuring me into it."

"It's been a few years since I left home." He continued, rage shining through his eyes. "But when I did, I was just a kid. Do you know what it's like, going from being a youngling living in the swamps with my family to risking my life every day, holding the weight of the world on my back? I understand, this was your war too…You've all probably risked and lost more to the forces of evil than I ever have. But I ended this. I took on this role for all of you, for the world. I did what you asked, I fulfilled all the destinies and prophecies that everyone told me I must, and I won. We won. Now it's over. I'm not the child I was before I got caught up in all this. I'm hardly an adult, but I'm old enough and mature enough to tell you that I'm not here to serve you. I'm taking charge of my own life."

The whole room was silent. Some of the older dragons shot disapproving glares at Spyro, others, staring dejectedly at the ground.

"I'll do it." He finally answered. "But on one condition." The Guardians looked up at him, questioningly. "As soon as you're all able to teach, I'm stepping down."

"Well, I can see how that might seem reasonable..." Cyril said, hesitantly.

"I want your word."

"Why?"

"I'm not staying at this temple and teaching for the rest of my life. There's a world I have to see, and I won't let you get comfortable with the idea of me teaching, or becoming a Guardian, or whatever else you might have in mind for me to do." At this, the Guardians shot uneasy glances at each other.

"Well, can't we just cross that bridge when we come to it?" Cyril asked.

"No." Spyro replied flatly. "I know it's just a matter of time. I'll go from teaching the basics temporarily to helping Blaze teach fire, I'm guessing. Then I'll take over for him in a matter of years. By then, I'll have already been appointed Guardian. I'm not going to let all that happen."

"But…" Terrador started.

"I'll help you out while everyone's healing and preoccupied. I'd be glad to help. But as soon as you can teach, you will. Do I have your word?" the purple dragon restated.

Uneasy glances shifted across the room, Guardians and their allies silently sharing their discomfort.

"In the best interest of everyone here at the Temple, Spyro, and indeed the entire Dragon race…I'm afraid we can't make that decision. Not here. Not now." Terrador replied. "Surely you understand why we'd want to make you a Guardian someday. You're the most capable fighter, the most knowledgeable student, and the only dragon to have been trained by the previous Guardians. But who knows? Perhaps, after a few years of training, other candidates will make themselves known. Or maybe you'll change your mind." The great green dragon placed a paw firmly on Spyro's shoulder. "I'm confident Ignitus would have wanted you to take his place as Guardian of Fire. That's part of the reason I can't make that promise to you."

"Now, young dragon, the choice is yours." Volteer began. "Will you 'take charge of your own life', reject our offer outright, and leave us, or will you comply for the time being, make a truly selfless decision, and see what occurs between now and the time your fate shall truly be decided?" Spyro looked like he was set to reply, but stopped and sat silently for a moment.

"I have two questions to ask before I can answer that." he responded. The electric dragon nodded. "Blaze." He turned towards the red dragon. "Do you regret rejecting your Guardianship?" All eyes were on Blaze as he pondered nervously.

"Well…No. My love for Glacia was…still is strong enough to overpower my devotion to the Guardians. I'd do it again, without a doubt, if given the chance." He hesitated. "As rash and headstrong a decision as it was, I can't say I entirely regret it."

"Glacia, do you regret Blaze rejecting his Guardianship?" Spyro proceeded.

"Ancestors, no! I can't imagine life without Blaze."

"I think I've got my answer, then." Spyro stood up and walked out, not looking at any of the Guardians glaring behind him.

* * *

Sorry for the immense hiatus again. Among other things, I got a job, and Skyrim. You can understand why I wasn't focusing on this.

Time for a juicy ending. And a twist epilogue.

Later.

SP.


	46. King

"Spyro! Wait!" Terrador chased after the purple dragon, each footstep shaking the ground. "You can't just leave! Where will you go?"

"Can't? I can't leave?" Spyro huffed back, not stopping to look the Guardian in the eyes. "What, you're going to make me stay then?

"Well, no, I just…Spyro, this isn't like you." Terrador replied, some kind of sadness in his voice. "Can't we discuss this civilly?"

"What is there to discuss?" The purple dragon turned on his heels to face the green one, eyes wide with an impatient rage. "You've presented your terms, and I've rejected them. It doesn't sound like either one of us is willing to give in to the other. So, the discussion's not a discussion. It's over."

"But what will you do? Where will you stay?"

"I don't know right now. Warfang? Beauport? Tall Plains? There's no shortage of places I'm welcome to stay."

"But there's still so much for you to learn!" Cyril approached from behind Terrador "You can't possibly believe that your education is complete!"

"Education for what?" Spyro shot back. "I don't want to be rude, but I could care less about the tradition and drudgery that you're expecting me to want to pass down. Guardianship…forced chastity…lifelong commitment…I don't see the appeal. All I need to know in the world is how to survive. And I can do that just fine."

He turned back and proceeded to walk back into the hall, leaving all the Guardians, Blaze, Glacia, and Arden to stare as he left. He wished it hadn't gone like it did. He knew the Guardians meant well. They wanted someone strong, knowledgeable, and reliable to fill Ignitus' place because they wanted someone to protect and train the future generations of dragons. He gladly would have helped them like they had asked him to, if it weren't for the lifelong consequences of helping them that even they admitted were almost certain to be true. He wouldn't spend his life as a Guardian.

A feeling of power overtook his slight worry. He had taken charge of his life. He had dealt with the Guardians in as civil a way as he could, and he had come out independent. Despite that, the Guardians did have a point. There were things he had yet to learn, and he had been looking forward to making friends with the new dragons at the temple. He didn't want to leave for a while…but it sounded like he had no choice now. He was confused about what to do, angry at himself for the way he treated the Guardians, and worried about where he would go.

He ended up at the Library, having sifted through a few crowds of dragons silently as he walked. Cynder was in repose, lying in a chair with her nose in a book and her feet on the table.

"How'd it go?" She asked, setting the book down. A few other dragons meandered around the library, reading and picking books from shelves.

"Badly."

"Tell me about it."

"They want me to start teaching. It's a slippery slope to Guardianship from there."

"What'd you say?"

"Basically told them I knew what they really wanted, and refused."

"You just refused? Are you even allowed to stay?"

"I have no idea what I'm going to do." He laid his head in his hands, elbows on the table as he took a seat across from her.

"I've been doing a little history research…" Cynder continued.

"Huh?"

"Just listen." She thumbed through the pages of the worn text, pointing a claw at a line and reading. "_The City of Warfang welcomed Dragons of the nearby Silver River Tribe and others from further reaches of the continent in great numbers upon its completion, being the first great city-state run by their race. The Cheetahs and Moles agreed to enter a confederation with the Dragons forming the majority of the government, the Prince of Warfang (at the time of foundation, Prince Acheron, the son of Chieftain Warfang of the Coastal Tribe) being the chief of the government. This was primarily a military union in case of another external attack, but within two generations, the three nations possessed closely linked economies and all passed laws that closely mirrored one another. Moles, Cheetahs, and Dragons all made their homes alongside one another in the two great cities, and the reach of Warfang's power stretched from the swamps of the Silver River to the shores of the sea."_

"I don't get it, Cyn, what are you getting at?"

"Wait, I'm not finished." She flipped a few more pages and began reading again. _"Prince Tiberius launched military expeditions all across the continent, expanding the Confederacy's reaches while absorbing new races into its governmental process. However, the people of Warfang saw Tiberius' expansionary policies as useless, when droughts were harming the agricultural heartland of Avalar and the resulting famine left thousands across the Confederacy starving, especially in the cities. Riots grew commonplace, and several attempts on the Prince's life were made. Following one by two of his closest advisors and prominent members of the Senate, the Wind Dragon Aecelus and the Water Dragon Hydreion, Tiberius dissolved the Senate and proclaimed himself the Dragon King."_

"There's more." She added, turning a few pages forward. _"King Cyprius quelled the rebellion of the Cheetah Army with an elite force of Dragon warriors, and, noting that the Dragon Army contained fewer soldiers than the rebel army did, appointed six of his closest advisers as Guardians-of-Arms. These Guardians were to each establish a school of combat for each element in fortresses throughout the empire, where drafted young Dragons would be trained to fight and serve in the Royal Army."_ She looked up, and Spyro looked back quizzically. "Just a little more." More page-turning. _"When Guardians Gustavus and Rubicon of the Wind and Water Schools fled the violence of the Tiger War to the safety of the King's Palace (they were cousin and nephew, respectively, to King Titus) the entire population of students were massacred at each school, permanently crippling the populations of those elements. Decrying the cowardice of the Guardians and the King, the four other Guardians evaded numerous Tiger attacks and launched an assault on the capital. Forcing King Titus' surrender with relative ease, the Senate was reinstated, the disenfranchised members of other races were re-invited to the Army. The Unified Army successfully drove off the Tigers, and the four Guardians were relieved honored. Guardians Feurus, Terracus, Glacius, and Exemper were granted the former Great Hall of the Silver River Tribe, where they established a school for both combat and academics. The Order of Guardians expanded to contain subsidiary schools in former Tribal Halls throughout the nation. These schools were allowed government separate from the provinces, with each Guardian holding the rank of General and reporting directly to the King."_

"And finally…" Cynder flipped to what was near the back of the book. "_The Senate then elected to remove mad King Luciferus from his throne, with the President of the Senate Augustus absorbing the powers of Regent until a suitable successor could be decided upon. Over fifty years have passed, and the Senate still retains the title of the Dragon King, having made no moves to find a successor. Power has gradually been returned from the Regent to the provinces and individual races, the power of the Kingdom and Confederate Senate waning as the power of the Provincial governments and Confederate Assembly grow. The Order of Guardians, in the absence of a king, has renounced all military titles, and presently forms a monastic order devoted to combat training and education."_

"Cynder, what's this all about?"

"Spyro, that book was written almost a hundred years ago. There aren't any Senators left…no Confederation. No kingdom. Nothing. There hasn't been a Dragon King in over a hundred and fifty years. No one's around to name a new one."

"I still don't get it."

"Spyro, who could be better qualified to be the Dragon King than the Purple Dragon? The Guardians would have to be loyal to you, and the Dragons would have a government again! Don't you see? This is the next step for you!"

"Cynder…" Spyro was baffled. "You're saying I'm going to be a king?"

"Spyro, there's no government anywhere. Warfang's been under military rule since Malefor's first attacks, Beauport's just recovering now from decades of corruption, and Avalar and Tall Plains are primitive chiefdoms at this point. The Guardians want you to become one of them, but I think they're looking at it wrong. You're not meant to be a Guardian. You're meant to be a king!"

* * *

It's been a while, .

I've gotta say, even for those of you who like this story, it drags on and on forever! Just look at the first place where I say I'm beginning to end it. That's what, forty chapters ago? This thing's gone totally out of control.

But hey, I've taken some writing classes in school, and matured a hell of a lot since this started two years ago. I now see how tedious it all is.

That being said, I almost don't feel bad for putting all this convenient historical information in the near-to-last chapter that helps tie the whole thing up. I wish I could have made the whole thing a single story arc rather than a big, dreary tale that never ends, but I might as well throw in some Romanesque history just for laughs.

Thanks for your continued reads and attention. I've been working on a TMNT story as well that I plan to upload soon after this is done. I really hope you'll like it!

-SP.


	47. Over

Day broke. The sun was already high in the sky, but day broke through her eyelids and shook her from her warm slumber. All her senses flooded back at once, like a rush of blood to her brain.

"So he told Terrador that he'd prove it was a good idea." A familiar voice spoke nearby. "He said he was going out to all the different cities and tribes to ask the leaders to come together and discuss it."

"A new monarchy…" Another murmured. "A new empire. The world hasn't seen a Dragon King in almost two centuries. Do you think it'll work?"

"I couldn't say." An unfamiliar, feminine voice answered. "It's not like people to turn over power to someone else easily, especially when they're trying to build their lives back after chaos. Still, if anyone's got a chance at it, it's him. He is the one that saved them all."

"Do you think the other Guardians will accept it?" the first asked. "After all, they are the leaders of the Dragons."

"I know I will. For the others, I don't know." The second replied. "They still see him as their student. But he sure did his homework, finding all that out about how the Guardians were first made. Whether they like it or not, he could be their superior soon enough."

"Once again, no one likes to turn over power they once held to someone else." The third repeated. "But if they've got the future of the world in mind, they just might."

She felt the irresistible urge to stretch, letting a meek yawn out as her paws stretched up behind her head. Her eyes adjusted to the light and her brain tried to recognize the voices around her and recall what had happened to her. Her memory seemed to stop at her return from the top of Mount Malefor. How had she ended up like this?

"She's awake!" one of the voices called out, and she heard hurried footsteps. She shut her eyes, and when they opened again, she was greeted by a familiar red-eyed gaze.

"Hi, Flame." She croaked meekly. A smile lit his face up as his name crossed her lips. "What happened to me?"

"Maybe I'd better explain that." Glacia stepped forward, unfamiliar to Ember. "From what Flame described to me, you were infected with some amount of Darkness on Mount Malefor. It sounds like it took over your brain, and it made you attack Spyro and Cynder. The building collapsed, and you were too distracted to get out of the way. So, Flame dug you out of the rubble, and we've been taking care of you for about two weeks now." Little fragments of memories, like a falling sensation and a crash, and a fight and a feeling of being trapped in her own body, came back.

"Well, she's been taking care of you." Blaze admitted. "Ember, this is Glacia. My mate." The ice dragoness smiled warmly.

"What about Spyro and Cynder? Are they alright?" Ember interrupted.

"They're fine." Blaze replied. "Flame was just telling us that they've left to go on a very important mission. They won't be back for a few weeks.

"They found more Dragons, too!" Flame exclaimed. "There must be a few hundred at the Temple now!"

"The war's really over now." Blaze smiled. "The Darkness is gone, the Apes are defeated, the government is reforming, and the Dragons have returned."

"But that's not all. Ember, I wanted to keep it a secret, but I thought since she was healing you, she'd find out anyways…" Flame ducked his head timidly. "You're still pregnant."

"I was unbelievably surprised that the egg could survive all the damage from the rubble." Glacia continued. "Let alone the damage from the battle and the Darkness. Still, though, it seems to be in an okay condition."

"It certainly came as a shock to me." Blaze stepped forward, smiling at the dragoness who had been like his daughter for twelve years. "The last I knew, you were still giving Flame the cold shoulder. I knew you'd come to realize how much he loved you eventually, but I didn't expect it like that!"

"You're not mad?" she asked, embarrassedly.

"Well…You two are a bit young. But I know the way he feels about you. While you were unconscious, he must have spent almost every waking hour by your side, talking to you and hoping you'd get better. If you love him the way he loves you, then who am I to get mad about it?"

She smiled as Flame wrapped her paw in his. Knowingly, Blaze and Glacia left the small dormitory, leaving the two alone.

* * *

Consider this the last contiguous chapter. Two epilogues should have the whole thing tied up.

Thank you so much!

SP.


	48. Epilogue 1: Emperor

Warfang was balmy with the heat of the newborn summer. The solid collar of the city walls and the skyscraping tops of massive towers did little to block out the breeze that rustled through the streets. Almost two years' time had passed since the last time the city was harmed by invasion, and with help from the neighboring Cheetahs, Dragons, Atlawas, and others who had come to rebuild, the city's former grandeur was restored.

In that time, a great amphitheatre had been built in the center of the city, opposite the city square. On this day, the tens of thousands of seats were all occupied by inhabitants of the city and people from across the continent. Even the city square was teeming with thousands more. All were anticipating an event that would surely go down in history.

In the center of the stadium, several dozen sat as a Dragon with scales of deep red stood tall on a podium and spoke to the crowd.

"It was two years ago, this very day, that our world was saved. A young Dragon, one whose destiny was foretold in prophecies, released the world from the grasp of the Dark Master, defended this city with his life, and saved the planet against all odds. Since that time, I've had the honor of becoming this Dragon's friend, and the honor of defending this city, as well as helping to rebuild it, and my friend has gone on to liberate another city, as well as undertaking diplomatic missions across the continent."

"This city was once the seat of power for a great empire, one that kept the continent in peace and order for a very long time. As history took its course, though, the empire waned, and where once stood the Emperor's throne and the Senate's chambers became the Mayor's office and the City Council. History has changed. From the ashes of chaos and fallen government, a great empire is again rising."

"It is with great honor that I, the Dragon Flame, accept the title of Duke of Warfang. My friends Kane, Duke of Tall Plains, Cyrillus, Duke of the North, Blaine, Duke of Boyzitbig, Hunter, Duke of Beauport, Prowlus, Duke of Avalar, Gaia, Duchess of the South, Amperion, Duke of Concurrent Skies, and Sparx, Duke of the Silver Valley, and I now form an order of governors that shall represent each province of the continent, acting as your representatives in the Imperial Court and working alongside your elected leaders in the Imperial Senate and Imperial Assembly."

"As the final Duke to ascend to his title, I hereby announce that the Court of Dukes unanimously approves the selection of the new emperor. Thank you."

Flame bowed his head, and took his seat at the table with the rest of the Court of Dukes and their spouses as applause filled the air. Beside him on one side was Sparx, on the other, Ember. In her lap, a baby dragon with scales of red and black smiled back at him, and Flame leaned over to kiss his son on the forehead. Terrador, looking only slightly more wrinkled and worn, rose slowly from one of the other tables, and began speaking in the center.

"The local governments, the Senate, the Assembly, and the Court of Dukes have now approved the selection of the new emperor. This selection is a young dragon who not only saved our lives, but became our student, our source of hope, and our friend."

"The Order of the Guardians is intrinsically linked with the monarchy. Since its beginning, it has served the continent by training Dragons to defend their home and expand their minds. Throughout its history, the Guardians have always been the King's closest advisors. Now, as a remnant of the last monarchy, it is our duty to crown this successor."

"As Guardians under the Empire, we will serve as military advisors and teachers once more. We will work closely with both the Imperial Court and the Armed Forces. It is a position that we accept with pride. We, the Guardians, unanimously approve the selection of Emperor." The other Guardians rose now, as applause filled the air again. Along with them, Spyro rose from the table. In Blaze's hands, a crown of gold shaped like a wreath of leaves sparkled in the sunlight. Gently, he passed it into Terrador's hands.

Spyro took his place on the podium at the center of the floor, in awe as the thousands around him stood to honor him. Now a maturing adolescent, the purple dragon stood heads higher than he did the years before, and a beard of gold spikes and red webbing began to grow around his jaw and chin. He smiled at the crowd humbly.

"Seven years ago, war reached my home. Seven years ago, I left home to fight. Seven years have passed, and I'm still fighting. Some of my enemies are now my friends. Others are dead. Still more are in hiding, somewhere, waiting to strike. Now, I'm fighting for unity. I'm fighting so there won't be more war, so that the people of Warfang and all the people in this land won't have to see bloodshed again. I'm fighting for security and order for everyone."

"Seven years ago, I couldn't imagine standing here, today, taking on all these responsibilities. I've been told about the things that an Emperor's supposed to do, but I won't lie and say that I think I'm fully prepared for the job. I'm still young. There's so much that I don't know, so much that you'll have to teach me. It'll be rough."

"But I stand before you with confidence. I believe that today marks the beginning of the rest of our lives. Today is the first day of a new era, an era of peace, justice, and prosperity. I'm honored that I've been selected to lead us all into this era. Thank you."

As his speech ended, the audience erupted with applause for one final time. Terrador stood before Spyro, the two sharing a smile before the purple dragon stooped his head. The golden wreath glinted with the summer sunlight as it touched Spyro's head.

* * *

The first epilogue! In terms of storyline, I hereby declare this story officially done!

When I started this, I had never written a story before. I had no idea where this would take me, and I'm honored that you all gave me your support and criticism as I made this.

On to bigger and better things!

SP.


End file.
